Is It Pie? Is It Custard? Is It Cobbler? Whatever It Is, It's Peachy!

 

Is it pie?
Is it custard?
Is it pudding?
Is it cheesecake?
Is it cobbler?

I'm not sure, but I think it might be all of the above.
Whatever it is, it's really good.

The peaches have been exceptional this summer and I've been coming up with all sorts of recipes showcasing these beauties.  
This recipe started out with a basic pie crust, then I made a sort of cake batter with a homemade vanilla pudding mixture, then I layered it all with peaches, then I poured a sort of cheesecake batter over top, and I came up with a Peach All-In-One recipe.
Please enjoy!

First we need a crust.  You can use the refrigerated pie crusts (Not the frozen!), but I recommend taking the time to make your own.  I'm always searching for the "perfect" pie crust and this one rates up at the top of my list.


Pie Crust
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup Crisco, diced and chilled
1 tsp kosher salt
2 TB sugar
6-8 TB ice water


Mix flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor, pulsing several times to combine.  Add butter and shortening, a few pieces at a time, pulsing.  You want the mixture crumbly and coarse, with different sized pieces, the largest being the size of a pea.

Slowly add the water, a tablespoon or so at a time, pulsing, until mixture just comes together. 

Lightly flour a working surface and turn dough out, forming a ball.  You don't want to knead this like bread dough.  Kneading develops gluten which will toughen your dough - not something you want in a pie crust.  Slice dough in half and squish down to form two disks.  Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour or up to a day or two.

Remove a dough disk from refrigerator and let sit about 15 minutes to soften so it's easier to roll.  Sprinkle flour on your working surface and roll dough out until 1/8-inch thick.  Sprinkle flour, if needed, to keep from sticking.  Place dough onto a 10-inch pie dish, pressing down to line bottom and sides.  Trim dough around edges and decoratively crimp.  Prick bottom of crust with a fork.  Return to fridge for another 30 minutes before baking.

Bake pie crust in a 350° oven for about 15 minutes until very light brown.

Save the other dough disk for another masterpiece.  It'll keep in fridge for a couple of days.


 Peach And Strawberry Pie

1 prepared pie crust

6 peaches, peeled and sliced
2 cups chopped strawberries, sliced
2 TB sugar

3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup homemade vanilla pudding mix
1 tsp vanilla
3 TB unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 cup skim milk
1/4 cup heavy cream

8 oz. cream cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Heat oven to 350°.

Combine peaches and strawberries in a colander and toss with 2 TB sugar. Let drain, reserving the liquid.


 Combine flour, salt, baking powder, and dry pudding mix in medium bowl.
Add in butter, egg, milk, cream, and 1 tsp vanilla to medium and beat with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes.
Pour mixture into prepared pie crust and smooth it out.

Arrange peaches and strawberries on top of mixture.

In another bowl, beat cream cheese and sour cream with 1/2 cup sugar, teaspoon of vanilla, cinnamon, and reserved liquid.  Spoon cream cheese mixture over peaches, spreading evenly.

Bake in a 350° oven about 45 minutes, until golden brown on top and puffy.

Exercise restraint and do NOT cut this now.  Let it cool, then refrigerate overnight.  It needs time to set.

Whenever a recipe calls for a vanilla pudding mix, this is what I use.
It's perfect for this rum cake, which if you haven't made, you really need to.

Vanilla pudding mix:
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup nonfat dry milk powder
3/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp kosher salt
2 whole vanilla beans

Whisk together the sugar, dry milk powder, cornstarch, and salt.
Split open vanilla beans and scrape seeds into sugar mixture, whisking to combine evenly.
Cut pods into pieces, place in airtight container, and add sugar mixture.  Mix well to combine.
Store in fridge.  Keeps forever.

Pick out pods when you're ready to use. 

Now, for the step-by-steps:

Set the peaches in a colander and let them drain.

I thought the peaches looked lonely, so I found a bag of frozen strawberries and added them.
Now my peaches are happy.
Toss the fruit with sugar and let it drain, reserving the liquid.

Pour the batter mixture into the prepared, partially baked pie crust and...

...smooth it out.

Layer peaches and...

...strawberries on top.

Pour cream cheese mixture over fruit and...

 ...smooth it out.
Ready for the oven.

Be sure to put the pie dish on a pan to catch any overflow while it's baking.

Now, let the pie cool.  Resist the temptation to grab a slice.  This pie needs to sit overnight.
OK...  If you must, you can pull off some of the overflow for a taste. Just don't CUT it!

How do I know this?  There are certain people in my home who simply cannot delay gratification and just HAD to dig into it.  And it was messy.

However, after a night chillin' in the fridge, it had set and was perfect.

Enjoy!