Peach Pie

Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen 
Makes 1 (9-inch) pie
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

If pie was too easy to make, then we’d be eating pie every single day, I’d imagine.  Many homemade pies are simply made with plopping some fruit or berries in a pastry-lined pie and then baking. Though there are several steps to making this particular pie, each and every step is easy.  Make this for a special occasion with your favorite people when the peaches are at their summer best. 

1 batch of Perfect Pie Dough (This recipe will make a bottom pastry to line the pan and top layer for the pie.) 

Steps for making Peach Pie:
Place in a large bowl, 3 lbs. ripe peaches, pitted and peeled and cut into large chunks
Add ½ cup sugar and 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice and a pinch of salt to the peaches. 

Toss gently and then place them in a large colander over the large bowl.  
Leave at room temperature for 1 hour.  This will draw juices from the peaches.  The juices will drip into the large bowl.  

After the 1-hour, remove 1 cup of those peaches and place in a separate bowl.
Mash them with a fork or potato masher.  Set aside.  Preheat the oven to 425F.

Collect ½ cup of the peach juices and add to a skillet along with ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract. (Keep the extra juices for another recipe…perhaps a simple syrup for a mocktail.)

Add 1 Tablespoon cornstarch to the remaining peaches and gently toss to coat.

In a small bowl, whisk together 2 Tablespoons low-sugar fruit pectin, 2 Tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg, and 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger (The ginger is optional, but a nice touch.)

Add this mixture to the juices in the skillet.  Stir well.  Turn the heat to medium.  Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until the mixture is thickened and translucent.  Turn off the heat and add the peaches and the mashed peaches. Gently toss everything together.  Allow to cool to room temperature.  

Pour the filling into 9-inch pie plate that is lined with chilled pie dough 
(½ of the Perfect Pie Dough.)  
Top with the other half of the pie dough (½ of the Perfect Pie Dough.)  
Either use a lattice design or use a solid pastry, being sure that there are plenty of slits to allow steam to escape while baking.

Light mist of water on the top crust and 1 Tablespoon sparkling sugar.
Bake at 425F for 20 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 375F and rotate the pie.  Bake for another 25-30 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the pastry is a lovely brown.
It is crucial to cool the pie for 3 hours before serving to allow it to set.  Serve with sweetened whipping cream or ice cream.

Balsamic Black Raspberry Pie

Serves 8

Recipe from http://www.makebetterfood.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This has been a grand summer for black raspberries.  We bought loads of them and I’ve had fun using them up.  My husband and I enjoy them on our morning oatmeal, however, I’ve also made the following with this summer’s batch:  Black Raspberry Shrub; BerrySauce; Skip-the-Stove Chia Fruit Jam and Fresh Berry Pie withToasted Nut Crust.  I’m always looking for great pie recipes because I think a good pie is the best type of dessert there is.  I was intrigued with this recipe using balsamic vinegar and black pepper in the filling. So, I gave it a shot.  My husband said it was the best fruit pie he’d ever had!

1 recipe Perfect Pie Dough (or double crust pie dough equivalent)

7 cups fresh black raspberries

¼ cup cornstarch***

***Because my berries were quite juicy, I added a one heaping Tablespoon of tapioca to be sure the filling thickened.

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup honey

2 Tablespoons good quality balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

½ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 425F. 

Roll out one of the disks of Perfect Pie Dough.  Place it in a glass pie plate.  Crimp the edges as desired.  Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill while preparing the pie filling.

Rinse the raspberries and drain well.  Place 1 cup of the raspberries in a large bowl.  Mash the berries.  Add the cornstarch* and mix well.  Add the sugar, honey, balsamic vinegar, vanilla, sea salt, cinnamon and pepper to the mashed berry mixture.  Mix well.  Pour this over the rest of the raspberries.  Toss the raspberries very gently to coat with the sugar mixture. 

Pour the filling into the prepared pie plate. Dot with the butter pieces.  Cover the pie with the same plastic wrap and return the pie to the fridge to chill while you roll out the top of the pie dough.  Roll out the remaining pie dough disk.  Using a ruler as a straight edge, cut the dough into strips.  Remove the pie from the fridge and remove the plastic wrap.  Using the strips, make a lattice design over the top of the pie.  (If you decide to cover the pie with a solid sheet of pie dough, be sure to cut at least 4 slits into it so that it vents.)  Cover the pie again with the plastic wrap and place the prepared pie back in the fridge for at least 20 minutes to completely chill again.  (Flakey pie is the desired result and to achieve that, it’s important to chill the pie dough and then place it in a hot oven.)

Place the prepared (chilled pie) on a baking sheet that has been lined with foil or parchment paper because the pie will most likely bubble over a bit. 

Bake the pie at 425F for 20 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 375F.  Bake another 20 minutes.  Cover the edges of the pie loosely with foil to prevent burning.  Then continue baking for another 30 minutes.  (1 hour and 10 minutes total baking time.)

The pie is done when it is a toasty brown and the filling is bubbling.  Allow the pie to cool on a cooling rack for at least 3 hours before serving.  Serve alone or with sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Before popping it in the oven.

Finished pie ready to eat!

Cranberry Curd Pie with Gingersnap-Walnut Crust

Makes one 9-inch pie

Recipe from theviewfromgreatisland.com

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This unusual pie is downright delicious!  The sweet crumbly gingersnap crust is the perfect foil for the sweet-tart cranberry filling.  (Its tartness reminded me of the tartness of a lemon merengue pie.)  Serve each slice with a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.  What a perfect dessert for a special occasion where the color red is in order or cranberries are called for.  (Valentine’s Day or Thanksgiving, perhaps?)

Crust

5 ounces gingersnaps

1 cup walnuts

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling

12-ounce bag of fresh cranberries (frozen berries can be used, thawed)

1 ½ cups sugar, divided

¼ cup water

3 large eggs

2 large egg yolks

Pinch of salt

½ cup fresh lemon juice

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into small pieces

Garnish (optional)

A few sugared cranberries (Reserve a few cranberries, coat them in a bit of egg white and then roll them in sugar and allow them to dry before using.)

Fresh thyme sprigs or mint leaves

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F.  Put the gingersnaps in a food processor and process until they are fine crumbs.  (This should equal a heaping cup.)  Add the walnuts and sugar to the processor.  Process until everything is finely ground.  Add the melted butter and process briefly to combine.

Pat the crust into a 9-inch pie plate and up the sides.  (See photo.) Bake for 10-12 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Use a measuring cup to press the crust into the pie plate.

Put the cranberries, 1 cup of the sugar and ¼ cup water in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Simmer, uncovered, for about 15 minutes until the cranberries pop and the mixture is thick.  Let cool slightly and then puree until completely smooth.  Whisk the puree, the eggs, the yolks, the lemon juice and ½ cup sugar and then set over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. (See photo.) 

The thickened curd should coat the back of a spoon.  

Use a finger and draw a clear trail through the curd to test.

Push the curd through a mesh strainer, using the back of a spoon to get it all through.  Let the curd cool for a few minutes.  Drop the room temperature butter in, bit by bit, while you stir to melt it.  Pour the curd into the pie crust and smooth out evenly.  Chill the pie until it is firm, about 2 hours.  Decorate with the sugared cranberries and herb sprigs, if desired.