Pie Crust 101 continued
There’s no point in discussing pie crust if you have nothing to put in it. So, after much searching I found my mom’s lattice topped peach pie recipe. This recipe is different from others because it calls for whipping cream instead of butter. The recipe has been modified for frozen or canned peaches as flavorful fresh peaches are often hard to find. I’m also including my dad’s no fail sweet potato pie. He liked a shallower pie so that you could walk around with it. Give them a try and let me know how they worked.
Tender Pie Crust
2 ¾ c all purpose flour 2 tbls sugar
1 ½ tsp salt
1 c unsalted butter, chilled and cut into ½ inch cubes
7 tbls ice water divided
1 ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
Blend flour, sugar, and salt in food processor for 5 seconds. Add butter approximately ¼ cup at a time pulsing until butter is incorporated. The mixture should look like coarse meal once all the butter has been added. Mix lemon juice with 6 tbls water. Add to flour mixture 1tbl at a time pulsing between additions. Add enough water for the dough to come together in large, moist clumps. Incorporate the remaining tablespoon of water by teaspoons if the dough is still dry. Shape the dough into two balls and flatten into disks. Wrap and chill for at least two hours and up to one day.
Notes: The pie crust recipe can be found in Bon Appetit Magazine November, 2005, p. 165.
I use White Lily flour for all of my baking. It’s available in the Chicago area at Food For Less and online at www.whitelily.com.
Peaches and Cream Pie 400o
5 c fresh peaches, sliced
½ c white sugar
½ c light brown sugar
1 tbl all purpose flour
½ c heavy whipping cream
pinch of nutmeg
2-3 drops almond extract
Mix peaches with sugars and nutmeg. Let rest 4-6 hours. Stir in flour and whipping cream.
Roll dough into 12 inch circle. Line 9 inch pie plate with pastry, trim ½ inch beyond rim. Fill with peach mixture. Roll out second pastry disk and cut into ½ inch strips. Lay strips at one inch intervals. Fold back alternate strips to help you weave crosswise strips over and under. Trim lattice strips even with outer rim of pie plate. Fold lower crust over strips. Seal and crimp edges.
Bake at 400o for 45 -50 minutes or until thick and bubbly. Cool thoroughly before cutting. Refrigerate any leftovers.
Notes: Frozen or canned peaches may be substituted. Thaw frozen peaches thoroughly before adding sugars. Drain canned peaches reserving ½ c of juice. Stir in sugars.
Taste the peaches and add more or less sugar accordingly.
Poppy’s No Fail Sweet Potato Pie
4 medium sweet potatoes
½ c butter
1-1½ c white sugar
2-3 tbls light brown sugar
4 eggs
½ can evaporated milk
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla extract
3-4 drops orange extract
Bake sweet potatoes until very soft and drippy. Peel and beat with butter and sugars until very smooth. Lift beater after approximately five minutes and tap lightly to remove pulp from strings. Scrape strings from beaters and continue beating until nearly no strings remain, approximately twenty minutes. Add eggs and evaporated milk, beating until smooth. Stir in nutmeg, vanilla and orange extracts.
While sweet potatoes are beating, roll pastry dough into 12 inch rounds. Line two 9-10 inch pie plates and crimp edges. Prick liberally with fork being careful not to puncture the crust or use pie weights. Blind bake at 350o for 10 minutes or until light brown. Remove from oven and evenly distribute filling between pie shells. Fill to the bottom edge of the pie plate. Return to oven and bake 45-50 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean. Drape foil around the edges if they brown too quickly.
Cool completely before cutting. Refrigerate leftovers.
Notes: Choose sweet potatoes that are approximately 8-9 inches around at the widest part.
Taste the potatoes after cooking and adjust the sugars accordingly.