Peach Pie for Peace

If a single recipe could bring together everyone in the world, to dine at a communal table of love and mutual respect, it would be this recipe. (Not that "the world" is going to see this, but I've got to start sharing it somewhere, right?)

Every time I have fresh peaches, I want to make this. Every time I even think about peach season, I want to make this. And, oh my goodness, don't even get me started what reading this classic does to me! It is my favorite pie, and I LOVE a good pie. (Although, my fresh raspberry pie does come close. I will have to share that one soon, too.) 

But sadly, even at great farmers' markets, famous pie shops, and hoity toity dessert restaurants, I have never found ANY pie that came close to this level of perfection. And truly, few desserts of any type can compete with this one.

Because you don't cook the peaches, you get to enjoy them in their full, juice-trickling-down-your-face glory, with all of the robust, sweet and tart tantalizing flavor of a ripe peach. Add to that a layer of cream cheesy whipped cream goodness, and a homemade oatmeal pie crust (or even a regular pie crust) to keep it all together, and now we are talking about a pie worth starting a food blog. 

So, why does no one else make this?

NOTE: This may look long and complicated, but I wrote it this way to make it easier to use while cooking. It's less of a recipe and more of a guide for cooking. Plus, you have the amount of each ingredient in the recipe right when you need it, so you don't have to reference the ingredient list two dozen times each time you make it! (But I included a full ingredients list at the top, too, for grocery shopping ease.)

And so, without further ado, the recipe*. 

Perfect Peach Pie

Yield: 1 perfect 9" pie

Total Time: about 2 hrs 45 mins (And worth every second!)

Active Time: about 45 mins (Though you are probably more efficient than I am.)

Full ingredients list:

1 pie crust, cooked and cooled

or these five ingredients--

1 C quick oats

1/3 C flour
1/3 C brown sugar1/3 C cold butter, cut into small cubes

1/2 tsp salt

6-7 large fresh peaches (about 3 C) peeled and sliced

2-5 TBS lemon juice (2 TBS for sure, plus a couple more TBS if your peaches aren't juicy enough)

3/4 C sugar, divided into 1/4 C and 1/2 C

3 TBS cornstarch

2 TBS butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp almond extract

1/2 C whipping cream

3 oz cream cheese, softened

2 TBS powdered sugar
3/4 tsp vanilla

Peach Pie Filling (Part 1):

Combine:

   6-7 fresh peaches (about 3 C) peeled and sliced

   2 TBS lemon juice

   1/4 C sugar
and let stand 1 hour. Meanwhile, make:

CRUST: a normal pie crust tastes delicious with this, but be sure to COOK IT and let it COOL completely before adding the fillings. Or, live a little, and try this recipe:

Oatmeal Pie Crust: (slightly adapted from Tastes of Lizzy T's)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine:

   1 C quick oats

   1/3 C flour

   1/3 C brown sugar

   1/2 tsp salt

With two knives (or with a pastry cutter or in a food processor, if you are fancy like that), cut in:

   1/3 C cold butter, (cut into small cubes)

until mixture is all crumbly. Press firmly into a lightly greased 9" pie plate, and bake for 10-13 mins or until light brown. While it is baking, make the following cream cheese layer. (Cool crust completely before filling.) 

Cream cheese layer:

Using a hand mixer, whip up, until it's fluffy:

   3 oz cream cheese, softened

Add:

   1/2 C whipping cream

   2 TBS powdered sugar

   3/4 tsp vanilla

Whip until well combined and thickened. After crust has cooled, spread on the bottom of the crust and leave (covered) in the fridge until the other filling is ready.

Peach Pie Filling (Part 2):

After peaches have stood for 1 hour, drain the juices into a 1 cup measure and fill remaining space with about 1/3 C water and then more lemon juice (if needed to reach the 1 C mark).

In a sauce pan, whisk together:

   1/2 C sugar

   3 TBS cornstarch
Whisk in the 1 C of syrupy juices from the peaches/water. Bring to a boil on high and boil for 3 mins, whisking constantly. Remove from heat. 

Whisk in to the thickened sauce:   

   2 TBS butter

   1/4 tsp salt

   1/4 tsp almond extract

Allow to cool for a few mins. Then fold in the peaches so that they are evenly coated with the thick sauce. Pour on top of the cream cheese layer, which is already in the crust. Chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. DEVOUR!

*Recipe heavily adapted from one given to me by one of my favorite people in the world, whom I happened to meet in the Peach State, Kristi Manuel. (And just for the record, the peaches I had in GA were not that good. UT, on the other hand, has incredible peaches. And surprisingly [for me, at least] we found some really tasty ones in B'more too!)