Peach Crumble Pie

This pie is so satisfying and delicious. It has three steps to making it but each one is easy and can be made at different points during the day. Then put it all together and bake when you get a chance.

I used white peaches because that is what looked good at the Farmers Market, I have made it twice with the white peaches and it's fantastic.

You must serve with vanilla ice cream. Don't even consider not doing it.

• For The Crust:

  • 1 1/4 cups flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for rolling
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

• For The Filling:

  • 3 pounds peaches, halved, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch slices (8 cups or about 8 peaches)
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons flour

• For The Crumble:

  • 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

  
  

  1. Make crust: In a food processor, pulse flour, salt, and granulated sugar until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining (I just use a whisk and then mix in the butter with my fingers--it's faster and uses less equipment). Sprinkle with 3 tablespoons ice water. Pulse (or gently knead) until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed (if necessary, add up to 2 tablespoons ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time); do not overmix. Form dough into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to overnight)--in a hurry I stick it in my freezer for about 20 minutes. And I am always in a hurry!
  2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly flour a rolling pin and work surface and roll out dough to a 12-inch round. Place in a 9-inch pie plate, fold overhang under, and crimp edges.
  3. Make filling: In a large bowl, toss together peaches, brown sugar, and flour until combined.
  4. Make crumble: In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, and oats; using your hands, work in butter until large clumps form.
  5. Transfer peach filling to pie shell, then sprinkle crumble evenly over top. Place pie on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until juices are bubbling and topping is golden, 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 1 1/2 hours before serving.
• Recipe courtesy of Martha Stewart, Everyday Food magazine.

Chocolate Chip Pie (Toll House Pie)

Oh man. This picture is torturing me. I long for another piece of this delectable pie.

This is a standard in our family--it wouldn't quite be Christmas without this rich and buttery treat. I thought perhaps my taste buds were outgrowing this pie that we have been making for more than fifteen years; enter the homemade 'pat-in-th-pan' pie crust. BOOM! I am back on the chocolate chip pie train!

How could I have ever thought we were through?

Toll House Pie

1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell (or the wonderful 'pat-in-the-pan' pie crust-recipe follows )
2 large eggs
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Ready the pie shell (if using a frozen pie shell, you do not need to thaw it).

In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the eggs on high until foamy--this will take several minutes. Add the flour, sugar, and brown sugar and mix well. Beat in butter and vanilla. Add the chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.

Spoon the dough into the pie shell and bake for approximately 1 hour until a toothpick inserted halfway from the edge and the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack and serve warm with whipped cream and ice cream.

You can rewarm in a 300 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Recipe from Nestle Toll House

Pat-in-the-Pan pie crust:

This makes one 9-inch pie crust or 10-inch tart shell.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Whisk together in a bowl or process in a food processor for 10 seconds:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Add:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, softened

Mash with the back of a fork or process until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Drizzle over the top:

2-3 tablespoons heavy cream

Stir or process until the crumbs look damp and hold together when pinched.

Pat the dough evenly over the bottom and up the sides of a pie pan. Evenly crimp or flute the rim. Thoroughly prick the sides and bottom with a fork.

Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven until the crust is golden brown, about 18 minutes.

Recipe from Joy of Cooking.