Peach Cream Pie

 Wednesday, I bought a luscious Peach Cream Pie from the wonderful pie makers at White Lily Chapel in Ashley, Ohio. I had 2 pieces that night, 1 for breakfast and then 1 for lunch today... a very small piece for after supper. I told the girls I work with that I would bring the remaining in. They loved it. I also gave a slice to a customer and then the remaining 1/4th of the pie to a Fredericktown local boy for dessert for him and his wife. I've had my mind on making 1 or 2 for our family reunion coming up on Saturday. Friday I am off from work and will play with my Grandma's pie crust recipe. A little trip to the Amish to get some leaf lard - that's the highest grade of rendered lard, unsaturated. The grocery store's lard has been partially hydrogenated making it unhealthy! Here is her recipe:

Grandma's Pie Crust     1 - 8 inch pie shell      Oven 350* 20 - 24 minutes to bake shell

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour         In a bowl, combine flour and salt, Cut in cold lard until coarse   pinch of salt                                   crumbs are formed. Sprinkle cold water over 1 tablespoon at  1/2 cup lard, cold                          a time, until pastry holds together. Form into a ball and chill for 3 to 4 Tbsp. cold water                30 minutes. Roll out to 1/8 inch on a lightly floured area.
                                                       Transfer to pie plate, flute the edges. Pierce bottom of crust
                                                        with a fork to bake crust OR fill and bake as pie recipe directs.
FOR THIS PIE, PRE-BAKE THE PIE CRUST  WHILE COOKING THE FILLING.
For 1 - 8" pie
I plan to try fresh peaches on one side of the pie and canned on the other. 
Vanilla Custard:
1 1/2 cups milk               
1/3 cup sugar                      
3 Tbsp cornstarch                     
1 egg                                  
1 tsp. vanilla extract         
1 Tbsp. butter                  
 Whisk together in a saucepan the milk, sugar, cornstarch, and egg until well mixed. Cook over medium heat, whisking until it comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from the heat and add the vanilla and butter. Pour the custard through a strainer then pour the custard into the cooled pie crust. Place some plastic wrap directly on the custard while it is hot and refrigerate until completely chilled, at least 3 hours.
Peach Filling:

1cup water
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
In a medium sized  sauce pan, mix cornstarch, sugar and water, cook to a boil and thedn cook until it thickens. Remove from heat and stir in:
2 Tablespoons of peach Jello
Set aside to cool clear down. Once cooled, stir in:
1 large can of peach slices, well drained.     
Pour the peach topping over the custard and spread to edges and cover & chill. Top with stabilized  sweet whipped cream - below or…  gulp…cool whip.        

Stabilized Whipped Cream


1 cup HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM, very cold
3 Tbsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp powdered gelatin (unflavored, like Knox Gelatin)
1 1/2 tsp cool water

For the whipped cream, mix the powdered gelatin with the water and let stand 10 minutes, then melt in the microwave for 10 seconds. Cool for 5 minutes. In the bowl of a stand mixer add the cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Whip on medium-high speed until it starts to thicken. Slowly pour in the gelatin and whip until the cream forms medium peaks. Spread the whipped cream on the pie and then chill for at least one hour.  
Wow, that seems very complicated, but it isn't really. I personally think to take this to a picnic, I'll use canned peaches over the fresh. For home fresh ones, I don't mind the discoloration. 
 

It's almost 3 a.m. and like these kitties, I'm yawning and now heading to bed. Bon Apetit!