There’s nothing quite like a fruit pie to round out your table during the hot summer months. This time of year, there’s fresh produce on every corner and if you’re in the South, you’re sure to find local peaches or peaches that have been brought in from South Carolina or Georgia somewhere in your neighborhood. Whether you have your own peach tree in the backyard (in which case, I’m extremely jealous I’d love to have an orchard full of peach trees, if only my black thumb didn’t seem to constantly prevent things from growing!) or you need to stop at a local produce stand, this peach pie is the perfect way to take advantage of summer’s bounty.
I’ll be honest: I have a really hard time not sneaking tastes of this peach pie well before it cools and is ready to be cooked, even though I know the leftovers will be so much better once the pie has a chance to cool. Oops! Luckily, there are plenty of fresh peaches around. Maybe I should make two pies next time so that there will be plenty left over.
Ingredients:
- 9” unbaked pie shell
- 4 to 6 just-ripe peaches slightly soft to the touch, but not so soft that they squish in your hands
- 1 cup of sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
While the oven is preheating, drop your unbaked pie shell into a pie pan. You want a deep pie dish that has plenty of room for all of your ingredients so that the pie doesn’t bubble over! After all, you don’t want to waste even a drop of that yummy peach goodness.
Fill a pot with water and bring to a boil. Drop each peach, one at a time, into the boiling water for two minutes. This should make peeling the peaches easy: simply make a cut in the skin of the peach, then slip it off in large sheets with your fingers. If needed, use a thin knife to remove any remaining peach skin. Cut the peach into quarters, removing the pit as you go. Place the peach quarters carefully in the pie shell. If you want to be fancy, you can make a pretty design. Make sure to just fill the dish without cramming in peaches. (If you have extras, you can always eat them!)
In a bowl, sift together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add heavy cream and vanilla, mixing until thick and smooth. Pour the custard over the peaches, then slide into the oven. Using a baking sheet under the pie plate will help prevent a mess if the custard boils over during cooking.
Bake for 15 minutes, then drop the temperature to 325 and bake for 30 to 35 more minutes. If the pie is still runny, you can continue to bake in five-minute increments; however, you don’t want the pie to burn!
Allow pie to cool on the counter. Once cool, refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Serve straight out of the fridge for the best flavor and thickest custard.
