Peach Pie with Pecan Streusel Topping

I dare say there’s nothing more beautiful than a gorgeous ruby ripe peach bursting with nectar that runs down your arm when you take that first bite. The pure, natural sweetness bursts on your tongue and you taste that distinctive flavour of a just picked, Ontario peach.

The only thing better … may be a peach pie.

My husband’s favourite pie is peach and whenever I make peach pie, I can pretty much bet that I’ll have one happy guy around the house.

All things considered, you’d think I’d make peach pie a weekly event.  But I don’t. I always wait until August. August is when we make peach preserves, peach jam, peach chutney, peach crisp, peach salsa and yes, peach pie.

Ontario peaches are ripe for picking in August and every year my husband’s parents drive to Niagara and purchase bushels of freshly picked peaches and bring them home in the trunk of the car.

We haul those peaches into the house and for days we wash, peel, pit, chop, sweeten, mash, can and bake the most delicious golden ripe peaches this side of heaven.

I’m not gonna lie.  It is a lot of work.  But it’s a labor of love and whenever we spread the sweet jam across our toast, pop open the lid on a jar of canned peaches, dip our chips into a jar of homemade peach salsa on a cold, winter-y weekend, we are always reminded of our love for fresh Ontario peaches and all of the reasons why we just know, that next August, we’re pretty much guaranteed to do it all over again.

This particular pie has a crunchy pecan streusel topping but quite honestly around here, pastry topping is loved just as much. Either way, it disappears in short order.

Here’s the recipe for this simple peach pie filling for either an 8-inch pastry or a 9-inch pastry, along with the optional pecan streusel topping.

8-Inch Peach Pie Recipe

8-inch single crust pastry

4 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches

1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2/3  cup granulated sugar

3 tablespoons flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

9-Inch Peach Pie Recipe

9″ single crust pastry

5 cups peeled and sliced fresh peaches

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

Method

1.  Heat oven to 425 degrees F.

2.  In a large bowl, combine peaches with the lemon juice.  Add sugar, flour and cinnamon; toss lightly to mix.  Turn into the appropriate sized pastry shell.

3. Cover with pecan streusel topping (see recipe below) and bake at 425 degrees F. for 35 to 40 minutes or until thick juice begins to bubble through the streusel.

Note:  Keep an eye on the pie as it’s baking. If the streusel is browning too much, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.  Even though it may be difficult – it’s best to allow the pie to cool before cutting and serving.

Pecan Streusel Topping

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1/4 cup each granulated and packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

1/3 cup butter, just slightly firm

1/4 cup chopped pecan halves

Method

1. In a medium bowl, toss together flour, oats, granulated and brown sugars, and cinnamon.  With a pastry blender or a fork, blend in the butter until crumbly.  Mix in pecans.

Blueberry Apple Cream Cheese Pie

Surprised?

I’ll bet you didn’t expect to hear from me this soon.

I’m making up for lost time.

If that’s even possible.

But I’m determined to try, so you can expect to hear a lot more from me this week as I try to fill these pages with some of the most delicious home baking and cooking recipes I’ve made while I was away.

Yes, even though I wasn’t here, I was still heating up the oven and cleaning up the mess.  Our plates were pretty and our tummies were full. Too full, sometimes.  Good food is hard to resist.  Like this blueberry apple cream cheese pie for instance.

It’s a pie I made a while back that I’ve been wanting to share.  It’s scrumptious. Apples and blueberries are covered in a luscious thick layer of cream cheese topping and  a sprinkle of walnuts.  It really is as good as it looks and it takes the humble pie to soaring heights of deliciousness.

Because I love to use fresh, seasonal fruit whenever I bake, Thanksgiving makes the perfect holiday to pass this around the family table, but you really can make and share it any time of the year and you’ll be sure to get some ooohh’s and awwwh’s.

Sprinkled with your favourite nuts, the rich and creamy, cream cheese topping nestles right into the tart apples and sweet blueberries for a beautiful, dramatic and rustic presentation that will impress even your most discerning of guests.

Cream Cheese Apple Blueberry Pie

Adapted from Pillsbury Kitchens’ Family Cookbook

Serves 10

Ingredients

Your favourite single-crust pastry

Apple Filling

6 cups (6 medium) peeled, sliced apples

1 cup fresh blueberries

1 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Cream Cheese Topping

8-ounce package cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1/3 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts, but feel free to use your favourite)

Method

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, combine apples, blueberries, sugar, flour, lemon zest and lemon juice. Toss lightly.

3. Spoon into your prepared pastry-lined pie pan.

4. Combine all cream cheese topping ingredients except the nuts and beat until smooth.

5. Spoon cream cheese topping over the apples and blueberries.  Sprinkle with nuts. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly browned.  Refrigerate any leftovers.

Note: There is a caramel sauce option for this pie that I didn’t try; but it does sound delicious so I’m adding it, just in case you’d like to give it a try.

For this caramel version, omit the blueberries, using just the apples, and make a caramel sauce that gets poured over the apples just before you add the cream cheese topping.

Caramel Sauce

8-ounces (about 28) of caramels

1/2 cup half-and-half or evaporated milk

In a small saucepan, melt caramels in half-and-half on low heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth.  While warm, drizzle over the apples before adding the cream cheese topping.

 

Cheddar Apple Squares

Hi there!

I’ve decided that I’m just going to start where I left off. And that’s with these autumn apple cheddar squares.

I made them in September when people were driving to the country to pick apples on Sunday afternoons, kids were back in school, and us mom’s were trying to come up with new lunch box or after-school snack ideas.

These squares remind me of something my mom used to make … date squares.  Remember those? But instead of dates, the filling is made with apples, a touch of cinnamon, brown sugar and some old cheddar cheese.Yes that’s right.  Cheddar.  As in orange cheese.

Growing up, I remember seeing apple pie served with slices of cheddar cheese and often wondering just what the cheese doing there because, after-all, pie was dessert and well, cheese just wasn’t.

Well, now that I’ve tried these squares, I know that apples, cinnamon and cheese belong together.

Cheddar Apple Squares

Adapted from one of my favourite cookbooks: The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book

Makes 20 squares

Ingredients

4 apples of your choice (Crispin or Golden Delicious are recommended)

1/2 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Cheddar Crust and Crumble

11/2 cups large-flake rolled oats

1 cup all-purpose flour

2/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, melted

1 cup shredded extra-old Cheddar cheese

Method

1. Grease or line a 9-inch square metal or glass cake pan with parchment paper and set aside.

Cheddar Crust Crumble

2. In a bowl, whisk together oats, flour, brown sugar and salt.  With a fork, stir in butter until mixture clumps and is crumbly.  Add cheese, tossing to mix.  Press all but 1 cup evenly into the prepared pan.  Bake in centre of a 350 degree oven until the edges are golden, about 15 minutes.  Let cool.

3. Meanwhile, peel, core and cut apples into 1/2-inch  thick slices.  In a skillet or shallow saucepan, bring the apples, sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon to a boil, adding up to 1/4 cup of water if the apples stick to the pan.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp, about 5 minutes.

4. Spread apple mixture over the base; sprinkle with remaining oat mixture.  Bake in centre of 350 degree oven until golden, about 30 minutes.  Let cool in pan on rack.

5. Cut into squares.

These squares can be made-ahead wrapped well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 weeks.