Creamy, Peach Pie
Who doesn’t love peach pie? Or better yet, creamy, crumble peach pie! This creamy peach pie is absolutely delicious, and you will be blown away when you taste it for the first time.
In this blog post you will learn how to make a delicious creamy, peach pie.
How to Make the Pie Dough for this Recipe
There are a couple of options for the pie dough for this recipe.
- Purchase a Pie Crust: the easier option of the two is to purchase a pie crust from the grocery store.
- Make Your Own Pie Crust: use your own recipe or try this Flaky, Pie Dough Recipe.
Whichever option you choose, you will absolutely love the results!
Peach Pie Filling Steps
How to Make the Peach Pie Filling
While it is possible to use your own fresh peaches to make this recipe, this peach pie recipe will focus on using canned peaches.
You will need to strain the canned peaches and place them into a medium bowl. The juice from the canned peaches will not be needed for this recipe and can discarded. With the canned peaches in the bowl, mix in the cornstarch, sugar, lemon juice, salt, and a drop of vanilla. Set aside and let macerate.
How to Make the Crumble Middle
Now the crumble middle is delicious and helps to elevate the peach pie; however, if you do not want to add the crumble middle into the tarts that is fine. This is an optional step and, the peach pie will still be delicious!
Mix your flour and sugar in a medium bowl. Cut in the butter to make your crumble middle. Set aside. I would encourage you to keep it in the fridge while you work on other parts of the pie.
How to Make the Cream Topping
This cream topping is amazing. It makes the mini pies just reach another level of creaminess. This step can also be omitted; however, I would suggest that if you omit the crumble middle to not omit the cream topping. If you keep the crumble, then the cream topping can be omitted. But trust me. You do not want to omit any of the parts to these mini peach pies!
In a separate bowl, separate your egg yolks from the egg whites. You will only need the egg yolks for this recipe. Whisk in your sugar and cornstarch. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat your cream, remaining sugar, and salt. Bring to a low simmer. Remove from heat and temper into the yolk mixture. Mix well. Pour mixture back into the saucepan and heat on low until bubbles begin to form on top. Remove from heat and whisk the butter and vanilla in. Strain mixture through a sieve. Place cling film on top of the cream mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before use and up to 3 days.
Peach Pie Variation – Mini Peach Pie Tarts
Do you want to make this recipe a bit different and more individualized? Try turning this one large peach pie into mini peach pie tarts. If you have mini tart tins at home, it will be much easier to make.
Take your pie dough and cut out circles that will fill the tart tins and place inside of the tart tins. Shape to the inside of the tins. Cut off the excess pie dough.
Place the peach filling into the bottom of the tart tins. Put the crumble on top and bake for 50 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Lastly, spoon the cream on top of them and serve!
What is Tempering?
Tempering is a technique used in cooking and baking when a room-temperature or cold ingredient is gradually introduced to a hot mixture. Introducing the cold or room-temperature ingredient must be done slowly to prevent curdling, splitting, or seizing. Tempering is most needed when adding eggs to hot mixtures like in this peach pie recipe.
For this recipe, you will be incorporating egg yolks into the hot pastry cream and will need to whisk continuously. Whisking continuously while adding the yolks to the cream keeps the yolks from curdling. Therefore ensuring a smooth final product.
How Do I Cut in Butter?
Cutting in butter is a common technique used for making pastries, crumbles, crisps, and pie doughs. Click on this link, How to Cut in Butter, to learn the four different techniques used in cutting in butter.
Ingredients
Canned Peaches: canned peaches are the main fruit component of the pie. Consequently, they provide the sweetness, flavour, and moisture to the dish.
Corn Starch: corn starch is a thickening agent which is used to create a smooth and creamy texture in the dessert’s filling. Accordingly, it binds the liquid from the peaches and other ingredients, preventing it from becoming too runny.
Lemon Juice: lemon juice adds brightness and acidity to the dessert. In addition, this enhances the flavour of the peaches and balances the sweetness of the sugar.
Sugar: sugar adds sweetness to the peaches and to the pie. Which then balances out the tartness of the lemon juice.
Salt: a pinch of salt enhances the flavour.
Vanilla Extract: vanilla extract adds depth to the pie.
Butter: butter adds richness and helps create the soft, creamy topping of the crumble middle. While it also adds a buttery flavour to the pie.
All-Purpose/Plain Flour: all-purpose flour is used in the crumble for the structure and to bind to the butter. Therefore, it helps to bind the ingredients together in the final product.
Heavy Cream/Double Cream: heavy cream thickens the pastry cream for a more stable filling that maintains its shape well.
Egg Yolks: egg yolks are rich in proteins and emulsifiers which, when heated, coagulate and thicken the mixture, transforming it into a custard. This provides the desired consistency for pastry cream.
Tips
- Use very cold butter when cutting into your crumble topping. Consequently, this will help the crumble topping be flaky and crisp with large, chunky crumbs.
- Make your pastry dough and pastry cream the day before and leave it in the fridge until you need to add it to the peach pie.
- Lastly, add a few peach halves on top of the pastry cream for a nicer looking pie!
The Best Cream Peach Pie
Ingredients
For the Peach Filling:
- 5 cans of peaches strained (without juice 250g/can)
- 3 tbsp. corn starch cornflour
- 2 tsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 c. sugar granulated
- Pinch of Salt
- Drop of vanilla extract
For the Crumble:
- ½ c. butter cold and cubed
- ¾ c. all-purpose flour plain flour
- 2/3 c. sugar granulated
For the Pastry Cream:
- 2 c. heavy cream
- 1/2 c. sugar granulated
- Pinch of Salt
- 5 Egg Yolks
- 3 tbsp. corn starch
- 4 tbsp. cold butter unsalted
- 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Pie Crust
Instructions
Peach Filling:
- Strain your canned peaches.
- In a medium mixing bowl, mix together strained peaches, corn starch, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Pour mixture into your pie crust.
Crumble:
- For the crumble topping, mix the flour and the sugar together. Then cube your butter and cut it into the flour and sugar.
- Once fully mixed in, and the topping looks like crumbs, sprinkle overtop of peach filling in the pie crust.
Pastry Cream:
- Separate your egg yolks from the egg whites. In a medium bowl, whisk your egg yolks together. Add in 2 tbsp. of sugar and continue to whisk together. Once sugar has dissolved, whisk in the cornstarch and continue to whisk until the mixture is thick and pale yellow.
- In a medium saucepan on the stove, add your heavy cream, salt, and the rest of your sugar. Stir until your sugar has dissolved.
- When the cream has reached a low simmer, whisk it into the egg yolk mixture. Mix together well and put the mixture back into the saucepan on a low heat. Whisk constantly until a few bubbles begin to emerge onto the surface and the mixture is creamy and glossy.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and vanilla.
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
- In a medium bowl put your pastry cream, and place cling film nice and tight across the cream.
- Place in the fridge for at least 3 hours before use and up to 3 days.
Assembling the Pie:
- Preheat oven to 375℉/190℃/Gas Mark 5.
- Once your peach filling and crumble is in the pie crust, bake for 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven and let fully cool to room temperature.
- Once the pastry cream has sat for at least 3 hours in the fridge, remove and spoon onto the top of the pie making a beautiful, smooth layer of cream.
- Serve and enjoy!