Summer is the time for smooth and cool creamy pies. This custard-filled pie, which showcases the sweet peach, tastes great either chilled or at room temperature and will soon become one of your favorite peach desserts. This is a great choice is you are looking for a make-ahead dessert: You can prepare the dough up to two days in advance, and you can bake the pie a day ahead of time. Wrap the completely cooled pie tightly in plastic wrap, and store it, covered, in the refrigerator. If you serve the pie the day you bake it, remember to let However you make it, let the pie cool completely before slicing so the filling has time to firm up. Blind baking the crust (baking it before adding the filling) ensures that it will be crisp and not soggy beneath the custard. To save time, use a store-bought pie crust instead of homemade. Purchase ripe but firm peaches – if they are too soft, the peaches will water out and affect how the custard sets.
How to Make It
Prepare the Crust: Pulse flour, granulated sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined, 3 or 4 times. Add butter and shortening, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 times. Drizzle in water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and pulse until dough begins to clump together. Gather dough into a ball, and flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap, and chill 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll dough into a 12-inch circle (about 1/8 inch thick) on a lightly floured work surface. Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold edges under, and crimp. Prick bottom and sides with a fork. Line dough with parchment paper; fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove weights and parchment paper; bake until lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack, and cool piecrust completely, about 30 minutes.
Prepare the Filling: Whisk together sugar, heavy cream, butter, flour, salt, ginger, and eggs in a medium bowl until completely smooth. Place peaches in cooled piecrust, and pour sugar-cream mixture evenly over peaches.
Bake pie at 375°F until almost set in the middle, 40 to 45 minutes, covering edges with aluminum foil during the last 10 to 15 minutes, if needed, to prevent excessive browning. Transfer pie to a wire rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours, before serving.