Peach Pie, Oh Me - Oh My!!

I started making peach pie when Jeremy and I were first married.  It was the first pie I tried out a lattice top on, which I loved making.  It was also the pie I made, bourbon scented with cardamom, for a church summer baking contest, and it's one that I have LOTS of "raw material" for in my freezers because of the phenomenal amount of peaches picked by Anna, Teresa, my boys and myself as we gleaned an orchard this past summer.  My husband has been, oh so gently, urging me to "do something with some of those peaches, like maybe a pie?".  Well, since I now have my newly found favorite pie crust recipe that doesn't tear, rip, crumble or generally fall apart on a whim, I felt inclined to oblige his hints for a peach pie.  I got out my cute new pie dish from my friend Stacy and set to work.  This was my first "closed crust" pie.  My top crusts are usually lattice or some tearfully pieced together scrap of patchwork crust.  I must say that I am extremely pleased with the results.  I can't help it!  When I got that top crust on and the edges fluted, I let out the loudest Woo-Hoo, my boys and husband have EVER heard.  It made my husband jump and my boys come running from the back of the house!  The pie also tasted "kinna like toolicious" as my youngest son used to say!  The ginger really took it up a notch!
Woooo-hoooo!  You can have some tooooooo!!!!

Gingered Peach Pie 
Ingredients:
Crust:  Flaky Cream Cheese Crust -double for a top and bottom crust
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp flour (I used pastry flour for a flakier crust)
1 Tbsp white sugar
¼ tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter
3 ounces cold cream cheese
2-3 Tbsp. cold ½ & ½

Filling:
5 cups peaches, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1- 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger (depending on how much you like ginger)
dash of cinnamon & dash of nutmeg (if desired)
2 Tbsp. butter (cut into small pieces)

Method:
1.)  Whisk together flour, sugar & salt in a large bowl. (for crust)
2.)  With pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut in butter and cream cheese.  (for crust)   It should look like coarse sand with some bigger sized clumps in there with it, about pea sized.

3.)  Drizzle 2-3 Tbsp. ½ & ½ over and mix with fork until dough begins to gather.
4.)  Roll out and place into a 9 inch pie pan, let edges hang over.
5.)  Roll out top crust and set aside.
6.)  Mix together ingredients for filling and let sit for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7.)  Pour filling into pie shell and dot with 2 Tbsp of butter, cut into small pieces. 
        Look at how that dough just gracefully hangs over the sides of the pie dish!!!

8.)  Brush the edges of bottom crust with cold water.
9.)  Place top crust over the filling and trim the edges.
10.)  Tuck the crusts together and under then flute/crimp edges & brush top with milk.
          Isn't it gorgeous?!  I  didn't have to grab scraps to improvise and edge.  It's all in one  piece!  Have I mentioned that I love this dough recipe yet???

11.)  Bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.
12.)  Then bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until inside juices are bubbling.

*** Hint:  Placing a cookie sheet under the pie plate can be helpful for catching any juices that may escape.  None did for this one, but sometimes with a lattice top they can.

Click here for printable recipe