Peach and Crème Fraîche Pie
This peach and creme fraiche pie from Martha Stewart is pretty much summer on a plate. Fresh peaches and luscious crème fraîche are heaped in a pastry crust and baked until juicy, soft, and oh so sweet.
Whether you seek convention or innovation, you’ll find it in this haute yet humble peach pie, which draws on tradition yet still wields some surprises. Rather than douse peaches with cream, it bathes them with crème fraîche, which possesses a slight tartness that beautifully complements the sweet stone fruits and the thick creaminess of it sets up like a custard during baking in perfect contrast against the crisp crumb topping. Summer on a plate.–Editors of Martha Stewart Living
Peach and Crème Fraîche Pie FAQs
How do you choose ripe peaches?
What makes a difference–a doozy of a difference–in this pie is the relative ripeness of the stone fruits you select.
You can assess their readiness by giving them a simple once over. Pass over any peaches with a trace of green and cast aside any stone fruits that bear noticeable bruises. Grasp the fruit gently, ever so gently, and take a sniff. You ought to catch a whiff of the sweet perfume.
And if you really feel you must, fine, go ahead and give the fruit an ever so slight squeeze, but do so by gently cupping it in your hands rather than prodding it with your fingertips. It ought to give just a little. Peachy keen.
What is crème fraîche?
Crème fraîche is a thick and tangy French cultured dairy product, similar to sour cream, but with higher fat content. If you are unable to find crème fraîche, you can substitute sour cream, but use the highest fat version you can find.
Peach and Crème Fraîche Pie
Martha Stewart’s peach pie is pretty much summer on a plate. Fresh peaches and luscious crème fraîche are heaped in a pastry crust and baked until juicy, soft, and oh so sweet.
For the pie crust and filling
Make the crumb topping
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In a bowl, sift together the confectioners’ sugar, flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the pie crust and filling
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On a lightly floured surface, roll out the Pate Sucrée dough 1/8 inch thick. Fit it into a 9- or 10-inch pie plate. Trim any excess dough, leaving a 1-inch overhang. Fold the overhang under the edge of the pie plate and crimp as desired. Pierce the dough on the bottom of the pie plate all over with a fork. Refrigerate or freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line the pastry with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans.
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Bake for 10 minutes. Remove the weights and parchment and bake until pale golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes more. Transfer the pie plate to a wire rack to cool slightly. Reduce the oven to 375°F (190°C).
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In a bowl, sprinkle the peaches with the granulated sugar and the remaining pinch of salt and gently toss. Let stand for 15 minutes.
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Spread 2 tablespoons crème fraîche over the bottom of the cooled pie crust and sprinkle with 1/3 of the crumb mixture. Arrange the peaches on the crumbs and spread or dollop the remaining 3 tablespoons crème fraîche on top. Sprinkle with the remaining crumb topping.
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Bake until the crème fraîche is bubbling and the crumb topping is golden brown, about 50 minutes. If the edge of the crust begins to brown a little too quickly, fashion a long strip of aluminum foil into a c-shape and slip it around the crust so it hooks onto the edge of the pie plate and covers the crust.
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Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Serving: 1sliceCalories: 238kcal (12%)Carbohydrates: 28g (9%)Protein: 3g (6%)Fat: 13g (20%)Saturated Fat: 6g (38%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 20mg (7%)Sodium: 140mg (6%)Potassium: 153mg (4%)Fiber: 2g (8%)Sugar: 14g (16%)Vitamin A: 506IU (10%)Vitamin C: 4mg (5%)Calcium: 24mg (2%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
Originally published June 30, 2011
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