Blue Sky Recipes (continued)
Sugar Pie with Baked Peaches
Ingredients
Crust:
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. salt
• 8 oz. (11/4 cups) vegetable shortening (preferably Crisco), chilled in the freezer and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup ice water
Filling:
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup milk
• 1 1/4 cups organic cane sugar
• 1/4 cup Lyles' golden syrup, or an additional 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• Pinch salt
• 1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter
Peaches:
• 4 perfectly ripe summer peaches, halved and pitted
• 1 cup best-quality late-harvest Riesling, or other sweet dessert wine
• 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
• 14 thyme sprigs
• 1/2 stick (2 oz.) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup clotted cream, for serving
Directions
1. To make the crust: In the bowl of a standing mixer, sift the flour and the salt. Add the vegetable shortening and rub into the flour mixture with your fingers until pea-size crumbs form. Transfer the bowl to a mixer stand fitted with the paddle attachment. With the mixer on the lowest speed, gradually add ½ cup of the ice water. As soon as the dough starts to come together (large clumps will form), turn off the mixer. Transfer dough to a work surface, and gently knead by hand just until it comes together into a ball. At this point, if the dough is dry, add a little more water. Shape the dough into a 7-inch disk. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 20 minutes.
2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll chilled dough to a 12-inch round, about ¼ inch thick. Fit into a 9-inch glass pie dish or heavy skillet. Trim the edges of the dough until flush with the rim, and decoratively crimp the edges, if desired. Refrigerate or freeze pie shell until ready to fill.
3. To make the filling: Place the flour in a large saucepan. Whisking constantly, gradually pour in the cream and milk in a slow stream. Set over medium heat and bring to a boil, whisking constantly, about 7 minutes. As soon as bubbles appear on the surface, remove from the heat. Let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
4. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat it to 350°F. If you have a pizza stone, place it in the oven to heat (a stone helps to brown bottom of pie).
5. Stir the sugar, syrup, egg and salt into the cooled flour-cream mixture. Put the butter in a small skillet, and set over medium heat. Cook until the butter melts and foams, and then the foam turns a pale golden-brown color, about 5 minutes. Do not allow foam to darken too much. Whisk the melted butter into the cream mixture until blended.
6. Pour the cream mixture into the chilled pie shell. Put the shell directly on the pizza stone if using, or on the oven rack. Bake until the crust and the top of the filling are golden brown and the center is almost set, 55 to 60 minutes. (Gently wiggle the pie to test for doneness: The center should jiggle slightly.) Transfer to a wire rack and let rest 1 hour.
7. While the pie is resting, make the peaches: Raise oven temperature to 400°F. Arrange the peach halves, cut sides up, in a single layer in a 9-inch stainless steel skillet or porcelain baking dish. (Do not use aluminum.) Pour the wine over the peaches, sprinkle with the sugar, top with the thyme, and dot with the butter. Bake, on the pizza stone if you have one, until peaches color slightly and turn a deep gold, 15 to 20 minutes.
8. To serve, cut the pie into wedges and serve each with a peach half and a generous spoonful of clotted cream. Serves 8.
Lydia Shire serves her peaches with a swirl of spun sugar. Because of space considerations, we were unable to include her recipe. It is available by e-mail from Flannery Hoard.
Subscribe to ELLE DECOR magazine
MORE RECIPES ARTICLES
