Pie Day 2017 at RFAM

Carrie’s Peach and Custard Pie with Pecan Crust (adapted from Joy of Cooking)

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour

2 tbsp powdered sugar

1/4 cup coarsely ground raw pecans

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1 stick cold butter plus 2 tbsp cold butter, divided and cut into cubes

Ice water, 4-6 tbsp

3-4 fresh peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced in half;  or 6-8 drained canned peach halves

2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

6 tbsp (3/4 stick) butter, melted and cooled

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp kosher salt

A pinch of fresh grated nutmeg

To peel fresh peaches:  submerge peaches in boiling water for approximately 30 seconds, then quickly remove and submerge in ice water. The skin will come off easily by hand.  Use immediately or toss with a little lemon juice to prevent browning.

In a large bowl, add flour, powdered sugar, ground pecans, and salt and whisk to combine.  Add 1 stick of cold butter that has been cut into cubes, and use a pastry blender to thoroughly cut the butter into the flour mixture.  Once the butter pieces are pea-sized, add the other 2 tbsp of cold butter cubes.  Continue using the pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter.   Add ice water, a tablespoon at a time, and stir with a spatula until the dough begins to adhere to itself.   Once it can be pressed into the bottom of the bowl with your hands, and then turned over with no loose dry mixture, it is ready to refrigerate and rest.   Press it into a round, flat disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hr, or up to 2 days before rolling.

After resting, roll out the pastry to a circle that will fill a 9 in pie pan.  Place in the pan and flute the edges.   Refrigerate for 30 mins.

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Blind bake the crust with weights and parchment for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and remove the weights and parchment, then use a fork to prick holes in bottom and sides of the crust.  Return it to the oven without the weights and parchment for 5-10 more minutes, until the crust is golden brown all over.

While crust is in the oven, begin to make the filling by whisking together the egg yolks, sugar, melted butter, flour, vanilla, salt, and nutmeg.  The mixture will be relatively thick.

Once the crust is out of the oven, fill it while it is still hot.  Arrange the peaches, cut side down, over the bottom of the crust.  Pour the custard mixture evenly over the peaches.  Bake the pie at 400 F for 10 minutes.  Reduce the oven temperature to 300 F and bake until the custard is brown and crusty on top and appears firmly set in the center when the pan is shaken, about 1 hr longer.  If the top of the pecan crust begins to over-brown, cover crust only with aluminum foil.  Pie can be served warm or at room temperature, and can be refrigerated for up to 1 day.