Personal Peach Pies

My second pie for Pie Summer was a delicious peach pie.  I found a carton of peaches at Sam's Club and just couldn't walk by that sweet smell.  But what was I going to do with all those peaches?  PIE!
My mother in law and brother in law were coming over for Sunday dinner and it was the perfect dessert.  Len brought ice cream to top the pie, oh heaven.  I had some small tart tins I have never used so thought this would be a great way to break them in.  I will confess I used the red box crust for this one.  We went to the greenhouse to get flowers for the yard, and I took way too long (at least in my husband's opinion) and ran out of time.  We stopped at the store on the way home so I picked up a box.

It really is beginning to feel like summer here.  We are almost at 20 hours of daylight, the bees are coming and going, we have had a full week of not going below freezing at night...I love this time of year. The chokecherry trees are just now blooming, Dave is working like a dog to get the dirt in my flower boxes and veggie boxes turned.  I planted the strawberries, carrots and radishes (before June 1st! the official "safe" planting date in Fairbanks). Now if we could just get some rain so we don't have a smoky summer with forest fires.  I know, I'm never satisfied!

Individual Peach Pies
Makes 4
Or double this and make one 9" pie (except crust)

5 peaches (about 1 lb.)
scant 1/3 cup sugar or to taste
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 egg beaten for egg wash
cinnamon/sugar to sprinkle on top - optional

pie crust for double crust pie

Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Peel peaches.  To peel, cut a shallow x on the bottom of each peach.  Bring a pot of water to boil and have an ice bath ready.  Place peaches in boiling water for 30-40 seconds, immediately put in ice bath to cool.  Pull peach skin starting at the x, skin should pull off easily.  Cut peaches in 8 pieces and pull off pit.  Add all peaches to a large bowl.  Add sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, lemon juice and cornstarch.  Stir until well blended.  Set aside.

Using pie crust, line each tart shell with pastry and cut extra pastry into long strips.  Divide peach mixture evenly between 4 tart shells.  Using strips of crust dough, weave top of pies and pinch edges to ensure dough stays together.  Trim edges.  Brush top crust with beaten egg.  Sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar if desired.  Place pies on sheet pan.

Bake pies for 20-25 minutes until crust is golden brown and peach filling is bubbly.  Cool slightly, remove from tart tins and serve warm with good vanilla ice cream.

May 25 , 2012     Daylight  19 hours,  54 minutes,  25 seconds     Current Temp.  56 ºF