Perfect Peach Pie

Perfect Peach Pie

Eat a perfect peach under the summer sun and you'll experience the fruit at its messy, dripping, sugar-bright best. Rinse your chin and understand that no melon, apricot or blackberry can compete. But how often does this happen? For most of us, a great and truly perfect peach is a rare event. We can expect but one or two a season, for all our trying. Enter the pie. A peach pie can elevate good peaches to excellence and great ones to the sublime. Even a peach pie made with frozen fruit is a terrific thing. The addition of sugar helps; so, too, do a dash of lemon juice and a light sprinkle of nutmeg, which offers a slight bitterness to offset the sweet. Add a crown of vanilla ice cream for a perfect diner-style à la mode effect.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 cups or 300 grams all-purpose flour
  • 12 tablespoons or 169 grams unsalted butter

    cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Yolk of 1 egg

    beaten

  • 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water

    from 3/4 cup ice water

  • White of 1 egg

    beaten

  • Pinch granulated sugar
  • 6 or 7 ripe peaches

    peeled and sliced, approximately 5 cups

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup or 30 grams all-purpose flour
  • Pinch of ground nutmeg

Directions

  1. 1

    Make the pie dough. Using your fingertips or the pulse function of a food processor, blend together the flour, butter and salt until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. There should be pebbles of butter throughout the mixture.

  2. 2

    Add egg yolk and vinegar to 1/4 cup ice water, and stir to combine. Drizzle 4 tablespoons of this mixture over the dough, and gently stir or pulse to combine. Gather a golf-ball-size bit of dough, and squeeze to combine. If it does not hold together, add a little more of the liquid, and stir or pulse, then check again. Repeat as necessary.

  3. 3

    Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and gather together into a rough ball. Divide the ball in half with a knife or a pastry scraper, then divide each portion in half again, and again, to create 8 portions. Using the heel of your hand, flatten each portion of dough once or twice to expand the pebbles of butter, then gather the dough together again in one ball. Divide this ball in half.

  4. 4

    Flatten each ball into a 5- or 6-inch disc, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap the discs in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes.

  5. 5

    Preheat oven to 425. Make the pie filling: Combine sliced peaches, lemon juice, sugar and flour in a large bowl, and gently mix to combine. Set aside.

  6. 6

    Take the larger of the pastry discs out of the refrigerator, roll it out on a lightly floured surface and place in a 9-inch pie plate. Add the peaches. Sprinkle them with the ground nutmeg.

  7. 7

    Roll out second disc of pastry. Place on top of filling. Wet edges of the bottom pastry disc with some cold water. Trim pastry, pinch bottom and top edges together and cut a few slits to allow steam to escape from the pie. Brush the egg white on the top, particularly around the edges, and sprinkle with a pinch of granulated sugar.

  8. 8

    Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375. Cook until peaches bubble and pastry is golden, approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

Perfect Peach Pie

Perfect Peach Pie

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About this Recipe

Imagine the sun-drenched sweetness of summer, perfectly captured in a slice of pie. This Perfect Peach Pie recipe transforms even good peaches into an unforgettable dessert experience, bringing the joy of peak season fruit right to your table.What makes this peach pie truly perfect is how it elevates the fruit's natural sugars. It's expertly balanced with a dash of bright lemon juice and a hint of nutmeg for depth, ensuring every bite sings with pure peach flavor without being overly sweet.You can expect a pie with a tender, flaky golden crust embracing a luscious filling of soft, sweet peaches. Each slice promises a beautiful balance of vibrant fruit notes and subtle warmth from the spice, creating a taste that truly captures the essence of summer. It's a truly satisfying dessert, reminiscent of the best homemade pies.While fresh, ripe peaches are ideal, this pie is still terrific with quality frozen peaches, as noted in the description. Ensure frozen peaches are thawed and well-drained before using. For an extra layer of flavor, consider adding a tiny pinch of cinnamon alongside the nutmeg, though the recipe's current spice blend is already thoughtfully balanced.Serve this Perfect Peach Pie slightly warm, perhaps with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream for that classic à la mode effect. It's the ideal dessert for summer gatherings or a comforting treat any time you crave a taste of sunshine.

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