In a Pie Baking Mood

Lately, I have been making a lot of pies. Peach, lemon, coconut cream...they are so delicious! I don't really like cake too much, so I prefer pie and as it turns out...I've found some really good recipes. Here's one for peach pie:

Brown Sugar-Cinnamon Peach Pie

courtesy of Southern Living, July 2011

makes: 8 servings

hands on time: 30 minutes

total time: 4 hours, 50 minutes *seriously, it takes a long time

Ingredients:

1 1/3 cups cold butter

4 1/4 cups all purpose flour, divided

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 to 3/4 cup ice-cold water

8 large fresh, firm, ripe peaches (about 4 lbs)

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 Tbsp butter, cut into pieces

1 large egg, beaten

1 1/2 Tbsp granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Cut 1 1/3 cups butter into small cubes, and chill 15 minutes. Stir together 4 cups flour and 1 1/2 tsp salt. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender (I just used my hands) until mixture resembles small peas. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup ice water with a fork, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened and dough begins to form a ball and leaves sides of bowl, adding more ice water, 1 Tbps at a time, if necessary. Turn dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap; press and shape dough into 2 flat disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes to 24 hours.

2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place 1 dough disk on a lightly floured surface; sprinkle dough lightly with flour. Roll dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Starting at 1 edge of dough, wrap dough around rolling pin. Place rolling pin over a 9 inch pie plate and unroll dough over pie plate (seriously, why has no one told me this trick before. It worked perfectly!). Press dough into pie plate.

3. Roll remaining dough disk to about 1/ 4 inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.

4. Peel peaches, and cut into 1 /2 inch think slices; cut slices in half. Stir together brown sugar, next 3 ingredients, and remaining 1/4 cup flour in a bowl; add peaches, stirring to coat. Immediately spoon peach mixture into pie crust in pie plate, and dot with 1 1/2 Tbps butter. (Do not make mixture ahead of time or it will become to juicy)

5. Carefully place remaining pie crust over filling; press edges of crusts together and seal. Cut off excess crust and reserve. Crimp edges of pie. If desired, re-roll excess crust to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch leaves using a knife. Brush top of pie with beaten egg; top with leaves. Brush leaves with egg; sprinkle with 1 1/2 Tbps granulated sugar. Cut 4-5 slits in top of pie for steam to escape.

6. Freeze pie for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a jelly roll pan in over for 10 minutes. Place pie on hot jelly roll pan.

7. Bake at 425 on lower oven rack 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 and back 40 minutes. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent excessive browning and bake 25 more minutes or until juices are think and bubbly (juices will bubble through top). Transfer to wire rack and cool 2 hours before serving.

For a lattice top, cut remaining dough disk in Step 3 into 3 (1 1/2 inch wide) strips and 8 (1/4 inch wide) strips using a fluted pastry wheel. Process as directed through Step 4. In Step 5, replace whole crust with dough strips, making a lattice design. Omit pastry leaves. Brush lattice with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar. Omit slits in crust. Process as directed in Steps 6 and 7 shielding just the edges with foil.

And there you have it! Best peach pie ever.