Chef John's Peach Pie

Above and beyond beautiful, this lattice design is also very practical. When you're making pie with something like peaches, the relatively open top allows for lots of moisture to evaporate, which helps prevent the dreaded 'watery-pie syndrome.' That's also the reason we boil the excess juices down to a syrup.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 15 mins
• Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins
• Calories: 325 Calories

Ingredients

• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 cup white sugar, divided
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste
• 1 tiny pinch salt
• 1 pastry for a 10-inch double crust pie
• 3 pounds fresh freestone peaches, peeled and sliced
• 1 ½ tablespoons butter, cut into tiny pieces
• 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream, or to taste

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 2

Stir peaches, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt together in a bowl. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Strain accumulated juices into a saucepan and return strained peaches to bowl.

Step 3

Bring juices in saucepan to a boil; reduce heat to medium-high, and cook until mixture thickens to a syrup, 5 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

Whisk 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and cornstarch together in a bowl. Stir lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon into peaches; add flour mixture and toss to coat. Pour peach syrup over peach mixture and stir.

Step 5

Roll out half the pastry to fit a 10-inch pie plate. Place bottom crust in pie plate. Pour peach filling into pie shell, tap pie plate against a surface to settle filling, and dot with butter.

Step 6

Roll remaining crust into an 11-inch circle and cut into 1-inch strips using a paring knife or pastry wheel.

Step 7

Lay 5 strips of pie crust over the top of the pie. Weave remaining pastry dough strips through to form a lattice top. Fold the ends of the lattice strips under the bottom crust and crimp the crust. Brush cream over the top and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar.

Step 8

Bake in the preheated oven until browned and bubbling, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool completely before slicing.