PERFECT PEACH PIE WITH BASIL WHIPPED CREAM

PERFECT PEACH PIE WITH BASIL WHIPPED CREAM image

Yield 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

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Ingredients

3 ½ lbs firm, ripe peaches
½ cup sugar
½ tsp cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
½ cup sugar
¼ cup water
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 pie dough disks
1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
Cinnamon sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
¼ cup firmly packed basil leaves
1 tbsp sugar

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Load bottom pie crust into pie pan; line crust with tin foil and fill with dried beans (any variety). Bake crust until sides are pale golden, about 35 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack; remove foil and beans. Cool completely, while executing Steps 2-4. 2. Cut an X in the bottom of each peach, and blanch in boiling water for about 15 seconds; transfer to ice bath. Peel and halve peaches, cutting each half into 3 wedges (6 wedges per peach). 3. In large bowl, combine ½ cup sugar, cinnamon, and salt, mixing well. Add peaches and lemon juice, toss well to coat, and let stand 30 minutes. 4. Meanwhile, prepare peach caramel sauce: In medium saucepan, stir ½ cup sugar and ¼ cup water over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat until liquid is boiling; without stirring, boil until syrup is deep amber (~11 min), occasionally swirling pan to ensure even browning and brushing down sides with wet pastry brush. Remove from heat, and add butter and cream. Mixture will bubble vigorously, but stir caramel until smooth. Strain juices from peaches into caramel, and let cool. 5. Oven should still be preheated to 375º F. Add lukewarm caramel AND FLOUR to peaches and toss gently. Add peach filling to pre-baked bottom pie crust, mounding in center. Cover filling with second (un-cooked) pie dough disk, crimping edges together. Brush pie top with 1 tbsp remaining cream and dust with cinnamon sugar. Cut 3 steam vents in crust with paring knife, and cook for 35 minutes; tent with foil if oven is prone to burning crusts. Continue to bake until crust is golden-brown and filling is bubbling, about another 30 minutes. Let cool completely before serving. 6. While pie is cooking and cooling, prepare basil whipped cream: Rinse and dry basil well. In food processor, purée basil leaves. Add basil purée to bowl with chilled cream and sugar; beat with electric mixer just until it holds soft peaks. Serve with freshly baked pie.