Peach Pie Perfection: Fresh Peach Pie with Créme Fraiche and Streusal

Every now and then, a recipe comes along that is so out of this world that it changes your life FOREVER. Once you were a sane and rational person, going about your usual business, and now you are reduced to using superlatives, all caps, and an excessive amount of punctuation: (BEST. PIE. EVER.) It's so good you have to shout it from the roof tops. It's so good, it may inspire marriage proposals. This pie is so good... it's dangerous. It could change your life.

All year I look forward to peach season. Peach season! Two of the most beautiful words in the English language. I've been making this pie every summer for years now. To me, it's the definition of summer goodness. Actually, peaches are just delicious and amazing. There just isn't much better in life than an breezy July afternoon, sitting out on the back patio, soft luscious peach in hand, juices running down your arm as you bite into it. That, my friends, is a perfect summer day. Throw in a glass of rosé, and you just might have a little foretaste of heaven.

But back to the pie. Feeling weak in the knees yet?








Fresh Peach Pie with Créme Fraiche and Streusal
adapted from Martha Stewart

Ok people, let's talk about pie crusts. Pie crust without gluten is a little tricky. You see, the way to get a flaky, crispy, tender pie crust is ... gluten. I have yet to find a recipe that I love, love, love, but try this. It's pretty decent.

And if you will be partaking of gluten today? Well, you've got it easy. Here is my favorite pate sucrée recipe from back in the day before I found out about my diet restriction. It's delicious. And easy too.


Ingredients
1 pie crust, prebaked (see above for recipes)

For the Filling
2 lbs (5-6 medium) yellow peaches, ripe (but not over-ripe) and in season
2 tablespoons sugar
pinch of salt
5 tablspoons créme fraiche (or sour cream in a pinch)

For the Streusal
1/4 cup powdered sugar
3 tablespoons quinoa flour (or all-purpose flour)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1/4 cup cold butter, cut into pieces



Method:


1. Prepare your crust. Set aside. (Why yes! That is a breast pump horn in the background. Sorry, this is the only picture you get). Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2, Makes the streusal. Mix together powdered sugar, quinoa flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a fork, a pastry cutter, or your fingers, work cold butter into flour until pea sized chunks form. Store in fridge until ready for use.

3. Prepare peaches: pit and slice peaches. Toss in a medium bowl with sugar and salt.

4. Assemble the pie


Spread 2 tablespoons créme fraiche on the bottom of the crust. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the streusal.



Top with peaches (you can arrange them neatly or toss them in higledy piggledy. They'll taste good either way. Really. I promise.) Top with the other 3 tablespoons of créme fraiche...



and sprinkle with the remaining streusal.

5. Cook the pie in preheated oven for about 50 minutes, until the streusal is golden brown and the creme fraiche is bubbly. Let cool before serving, if you can wait. Plop a big scoop of vanilla icecream next to pie slice. Enjoy!