What do you do when the theme for a dinner to which you are invited is “Stalks & Stems,” you are assigned to make a dessert, and rhubarb is out of season? Celery cobbler? Asparagus ice cream? Sheesh. In cases like this, I do what I always do — ask Markipedia.
As ever, he came through. “Well,” he said, “sugar cane is a stalk. And cinnamon is the bark of a stem. So any dessert with sugar will work, and if you add cinnamon, it’s a bonus.” Now, why didn’t I think of that? It’s a good thing he’s here. In the end, since it is the height of peach season — and it has been a really fantastic year for them — I made a peach pie. It is delicious and I am sharing it with you.
~ David
Peach Pie
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Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups flour, divided
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 24 cubes
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, divided, plus a pinch for the top
- 1 egg, separated
- ice water
- 6 large yellow peaches
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Place 2 cups flour in the food processor with the tablespoon sugar; pulse 3 times to blend. Add the cubes of butter and pulse 10 times. Mix the egg yolk with enough ice water to make 6 tablespoons total. Add the liquid to the processor and pulse 24-30 log pulses, until dough comes together. Divide the dough into two — with one half being larger than the other. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 450°F and set the rack in the middle to upper third.
- Take the larger piece of dough and, on a floured surface, roll to a 1/8-inch thick circle. Put the circle of dough into a 9-inch pie plate and trim the edge to be about 1/2-inch wider than the pie plate. Place pie plate with crust in the refrigerator.
- Peel and slice the peaches. (Peeling can be done with a knife or peeler. It is far easier to dip the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds. The skins will slip off.) Place the sliced peaches in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix a cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and the remaining 1/4 cup flour. Set dry ingredients aside. (If you add them to the peaches too early, they can get very soupy.)
- Take the smaller piece of dough and, on a floured surface, roll it into a 1/8-inch thick circle. Add the sugar and cinnamon mixture to the peaches and mix well. Remove the pie shell from the refrigerator, add the peach mixture and spread evenly, then top with the circle of dough; trim to match bottom crust. Roll and crimp the edges (pinching the edge as I did, or use the tines of a fork). Brush the top and crimped edges with egg white and sprinkle the top with a pinch of sugar. Make slashes in the top for steam vents.
- Bake for 15 minutes at 450°F, then reduce temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 35-40 minutes until the top is a golden brown and filling is bubbling through the vents. (I put a baking sheet underneath in case the pie oozes over).
- Cool somewhat and serve warm with vanilla ice cream.
- Served 8.
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John / Kitchen Riffs
July 30, 2022 at 7:55 amPeaches and cinnamon are a dynamite combo. Our peaches have been pretty good this year, too. Much as I like berries, I think stone fruit make the best baked goodies. Anyway, this is indeed peachy keen — really nice. Thanks!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 30, 2022 at 9:24 amThanks, John! And additional thanks for being the person who comments first every week! So appreciate it… I don’t know how you do it, as I’m always behind. I thought after retirement, it would be easy to keep up with everybody, but it’s not.
Glad you like the pie, and I agree with you about stone fruits! Although an occasional berry gets into a crook in my mind and I have to make a blueberry pie.
Allison
July 30, 2022 at 8:42 amJust stunning!
Cocoa & Lavender
July 30, 2022 at 9:25 amThanks, Alison! I hope everything‘s going well for you — I miss seeing you!
Gerlinde/ Sunnycovechef
July 30, 2022 at 2:29 pmStone fruits are the best, I love peaches. Even to this day they are still exotic to me some nice I never had them as a child. Your pie looks fantastic.
David Scott Allen
August 1, 2022 at 11:10 amAre peaches not grown much in Germany, Gerlinde? I loved them as a child but getting good ones was hard. Luckily, in Arizona, they grow beautifully, and are very sweet!
Eha
July 30, 2022 at 4:15 pmThose peaches surely do make a showoff dish . . . am certain everyone enjoyed the sweet bounty !!!
David Scott Allen
August 1, 2022 at 11:11 amI think everyone loved it! Thanks, Eha!
Pauline
July 30, 2022 at 5:43 pmWhat a sensational pie David, I’m printing this one off to make when peaches land on our supermarket shelves later in the year. Peach pie isn’t a huge thing here in Oz, not in the North anyway but can’t wait to try a Peachy Pie. Great recipe thanks. Love that you made your own pastry too.
David Scott Allen
August 1, 2022 at 11:13 amI hope you can start a new trend there, Pauline! And I hope stone fruit season comes quickly!
John
July 31, 2022 at 3:19 amDavid, that pastry looks just like the pastry my mother uses for her apple pie. I’ve never been able to replicate it! Now I must try your formula, though should perhaps wait until peaches are back in season here!
David Scott Allen
August 1, 2022 at 11:14 amI hope you do try it, John, and that it comes close to your mother’s!
Frank | Memorie di Angelina
July 31, 2022 at 5:26 amSounds delicious, David! Nothing like a good old fashioned fruit pie. And peaches are particularly nice right now. I had one just the other day and it was the best peach I’d had for a long while. I may give this a try. We have a real meat-centric nephew visiting this summer and it’s been a challenging getting him to eat fruit and veg… maybe a pie would entice (trick?) him into eating some?
By the way, the (impish) lawyer in me is wondering about the rules of the “sticks and stems” dinner theme. So I guess the stick/stem did’t have to be the main ingredient? Or was the cinnamon and sugar “cheating”? Would, for example, a potato salad with some chopped celery qualify?
Cocoa & Lavender
August 2, 2022 at 7:31 amMaybe this is the way to get him to eat some veggies – honestly, that is really tough. Desserts can get them some fruits and veggies — but don’t you just want him to eat a salad?
So, our theme dinners are about once a month – less during COVID, of course. The host chooses the theme and provides a main course and sides; other being apps, first courses, or desserts. The themes can be as simple as “basil” — for which each course needs to include basil. But sometimes, there are really obscure themes like “bed, bath & beyond” or “impeachment” (guess when that was?) — for those the cooks need to be super creative. Imagine for BB&B: a summer salad on a bed of lettuce, or îles flotantes… For Impeachment: peach Bellinis and homemade cheatos, peach-marinated and grilled steak with a mint chimichurri, peach Melba for dessert. Sometimes we really need to get creative.
For this dinner the main course was lemongrass chicken, apps were celery sticks, first course was a mushroom tart (including the mushroom stems), and mine was the pie. Cheating? No… just creative. I’m sure your legal mind would be really good at this, Frank!
Ronit
July 31, 2022 at 10:09 am“Stalks & Stems” dinner these sound intriguing. Wonder what the other dishes were.
The pie looks perfect, from the pastry to the peachy filling. Cinnamon pairs so well with peaches. Lucky guests! 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
August 2, 2022 at 7:33 amHi Ronit, as I said to Frank, “For this dinner the main course was lemongrass chicken, apps were celery sticks, first course was a mushroom tart (including the mushroom stems), and mine was the pie.” You can see some other themes in my response to him. Lots of fun being creative. And, yes, cinnamon with peaches is wonderful!
Jeff the Chef
August 1, 2022 at 7:09 amI think that may be the most beautiful peach pie I’ve ever seen!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 2, 2022 at 7:33 amYou are so kind, Jeff. Thanks you!
Ben | Havocinthekitchen
August 2, 2022 at 1:53 pmWhile those asparagus ice cream and celery cobbler sound quite interesting too, I think this peach pie was the best and safest option! 🙂 Succulent peaches and warming cinnamon – what can be better!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 3, 2022 at 9:17 amI can see the celery cobbler as a side dish but not as dessert – perhaps candied angelica? As for asparagus ice cream, Ben, I don’t think I could do it! 🙂 I am glad you like the peach pie, though!
2pots2cook
August 3, 2022 at 12:16 amSo juicy indeed… seriousy tempted to make it. If I skip turning the oven on, I’ll freeze some fruit halves to make it once the heat is gone ……. I hope it’s all right to do so…..
Cocoa & Lavender
August 3, 2022 at 9:18 amFrozen fresh peaches should work beautifully for a pie, Davorka – might need a little extra flour in the mnix, though!
Valentina
August 4, 2022 at 4:45 pmSuch a cool dinner party theme — and love where you (& Mark) took it. 🙂 I’ve been making all sorts of peach recipes lately. And I keep having to buy more, as I usually eat some of what I need for a recipe before even starting it. This pie sounds delicious, and I love those peachy juices seeping out of the crust. ~Valentina
Cocoa & Lavender
August 4, 2022 at 9:57 pmI love our theme dinners, Valentina — such a great opportunity for creativity! So glad you like the pie!
Sherry M
August 5, 2022 at 3:06 amdelicious i’m sure david. just gotta wait till christmas for stonefruit season here. 🙂
Cocoa & Lavender
August 6, 2022 at 8:10 amYou are so lucky to have stone fruits at Christmas, Sherry! While we love citrus in December, it’s just not the same!
Christina | Christina's Cucina
August 7, 2022 at 11:44 amThis is a beeeeautiful pie, David! I love your twist on how the pie fit the theme, but it really did! And who would say no to this work of art! Well done!
Cocoa & Lavender
August 7, 2022 at 1:15 pmFunny – no one complained. And it really does fit into the theme! Thanks for your kind words, Christina!
Raymund
August 10, 2022 at 4:58 pmHonestly that Peach Pie looks amazing.
Cocoa & Lavender
August 11, 2022 at 8:49 amIt was pretty good, Raymund!