Among all the reasons I love Autumn, fresh peach pie hits the top.
This is the only time of year peaches around here taste so heavenly. It’s enough to make someone want to go to pastry school and learn to make more delicious and to-die-for desserts.
So I try my best to get my fill.
Tradition always begins with a drive to Brigham City, Utah for peach days.
We first stuff our faces with the most wonderful food found at Maddox Ranch House. The best in the State of Utah, in my humble opinion.
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| Photo found here |
They serve up a mean fresh peach pie, and that is what gets it all started. I have to have more.
So we drive across the street to Paul’s Patch, which is filled with mostly locally grown produce, and peaches as far as the eye (or at least camera) can see. I buy a bushel, or two, or three.
My mother usually stocks up on tomatoes to make her famous bottled salsa.
The kids love this tradition almost as much as I do.
And I love any opportunity to get them excited about fruits and vegetables.
Even baby gets to join in the fun. By the way, she isn’t always just in a diaper and shirt. We had a blow out.
So if I have manged to convince you that you need to try a fresh peach pie for yourself, let me show you how I make it. You will think you have died and gone to heaven.
First, you need a crust that has been baked and cooled. I must admit, I had determined to make 10 peach pie’s, so I went ahead and bought Marie Calenders frozen pie crusts to save time. But you can certainly be ambitious and make your own.
The next step is to make your glaze. Add the ingredients (found at end of post) in a saucepan and heat on medium high heat, stirring continuously.
Heat until it just begins to thicken. Take off heat immediately. I pour it into another bowl at this point so it will cool quicker. The glaze must be cooled before you mix it with the peaches. You don’t want to cook your fresh peaches.
Then slice up 6 or 7 peaches, depending on how full you want your pie.
Add your cooled glaze to the peaches and mix until all the peaches are coated. Dump your peaches into the pie crust.
Now you need to make your topping. Homemade whipped cream is a must for this pie. It makes a huge difference. Whip it until you have the thickness you desire. I like it pretty thick, but certainly not to the point of butter.
Top your pie with the creamy goodness, and eat right away. Or stick it in the fridge if you have that kind of self control. Be sure to make a few extra, because they are just too good not to share.
And since I bought so many peaches, we can now enjoy them all year. They are super easy to bottle.
And even easier to slice and freeze. They don’t need any sugar added when you freeze. I just flash freeze them on a cookie sheet so they don’t stick all together. Then I bag them and we enjoy them in our favorite smoothie’s all year long.
Baby loves her peaches too.
mmmmmmmmmmmm. The taste of Fall.
Glaze Ingredients:
2 cups warm water
5 Tablespoons of corn starch
3/4 cup sugar
If your peaches are a little dull in flavor, you can add a few squeezes of lemon juice or 1/2 cup of fresh orange juice in place of some water. My peaches had so much flavor, I opted not to do this. It turned out great.
Note: This recipe makes enough glaze for 2 pies.
Whipped Cream:
1 pint of heavy whipped cream
1/4 cup of powdered sugar (or more to taste)
1 tsp. of vanilla
Put ingredients in a bowl that has been frozen for 1/2 hour, or longer. Mix with a mixer until thickened.
Enjoy! I would love to hear if you like it as much as I do.
My mother in law made this for a Sunday dinner, it was heavenly! And now I have to make one for me because two weeks later, I'm still thinking about it.
Great pictures, almost too great because I wanted some pie and I don't have any in my house. I LOVED your idea of freezing the peaches though. BRILLANT!!! I'm going to have to try that too. Do you know what other kinds of fruit that would work for?
Oh my goodness that peach pie looks delicious! Your pictures are lovely, they make me want to run out and get some peaches just to make this pie.
I think your photography is great! The pictures are great and the pie looks delicious! My favourite pic is the second one (the one with the pie on the wood beam with the nails in it). 🙂
Wow, looks yummy! And beautiful pics too! If you get a chance, I'd love to have you link up. (http://scrapbookingez.blogspot.com/2011/09/one-stop-thursday-linky-party_22.html) Thanks for sharing!