Peach Crumble Pie

I have made many peach pies over the years but this could be the best recipe yet.  It is a mixture of a few different recipes I put together. 

The dough is a winner.  If you don't want to make dough, don't.  Just buy is already made in the grocery store.  But if the mood strikes, this is a good one.

• 3 cups flour
• 2 T sugar
• 2 t. kosher salt
• 2 1/4 sticks unsalted butter
• 8 T or more of unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 t. apple cider vinegar

Blend the flour, sugar and salt.  You can either use a food processor or your hands.  I used to be all about the hands but I am using the food processor more these days.  Blend the butter in thoroughly until it looks like little pebbles.  Then add in the water and vinegar until the dough is moist.  Don't over work the dough at this point. You can work the dough all you want but once the liquid goes in, you must be quick. Divide into 2 balls, cover in plastic wrap, put in the fridge for at least 2 hours before using. 

Once the dough is ready, make the bottom part of the pie as you were making a tart. In a tart you always bake the crust first and put the fillings in later.  Make sure you mark the bottom with fork pricks.  Cover this with tin foil and heavy beans or rice and bake for about 30 minutes at 350 or until crisp but not totally done.  This will insure that the pie won't get mushy on the bottom when you cook it.  It sounds like a pain but it is worth it.  I did it without baking the pie crust first and it is just as good but the crust flakes out a little when you cut it.

The best part, the peaches. 

• 15 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
• 1 T. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 t. kosher salt
• 1/2 t. ground cinnamon

Put all of this in a bowl and let sit for about 30 minutes.  Next...

• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 T. whipping cream
• 2 T. unsalted butter

Combine the water and sugar into a small sauce pan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved.  You can stir is a few times.  Now stop stirring and watch until this turns a light caramel color.  If happens quickly and you don't want it to burn.  Just as it darkens, take it off the heat and stir in the cream and butter.  This will create a caramel.  Put aside.

Drain the peaches in a strainer to get rid of all the juices that have built up with the sugar.  This is key otherwise it becomes too mushy.  Put the peaches back into the bowl and pour the caramel over the peaches and thoroughly mix.

You can use the other 1/2 of the dough to create a pie but I did a crumble instead.  Here is the crumble part.

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter

This is a little more than you need but you can always use it for something else later.  Put this in a food process to really chop it up. 

Now to assemble.  Pour the peaches into your pie bottom and cover the top with the crumble.  Bake at 350 for about 30-35 minutes or until browned.  Voila!