• FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • My Account
  • My Orders
  • Gift Card
  • Cart
  • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter

Three Little Blackbirds

Small Farm | Artisan Bakery | Graphic Design

  • TLB Blog
    • Chicken Care
    • DIY/Crafts
    • Recipes
      • Seasonal
        • Summer
        • Spring
        • Fall
        • Winter
      • Cakes
      • Frostings
      • Cookies
      • Breads
      • Muffins
      • Pie
  • Graphic Design Services
  • Shop our Store
    • Logos & Graphic Design
      • Logo Creation
      • Custom Logo Products
    • Rubber Stamps
      • Pre-Designed Egg Carton Stamps
      • Custom Stamps
      • Return Address Stamps
    • Apparel
    • Farm Goods
  • About our Farm
    • Meet Erin
    • Willow’s Story
  • Fresh Eggs

in Pie· Recipes· Seasonal Recipes· Summer

Perfect Peach Pie

Fresh Peach Pie - Three Little Blackbirds

Let’s begin with a basic understanding of pie. PIE 101:

Pie is delicious. Pie makes you happy. You do not need an excuse to eat pie.

Everyone on the same page? Okay, good!

When it comes to pie, my favorite is a good seasonal fresh fruit pie. And when it’s nearing the end of summer, you have to eat peach pie. At least one slice. It’s a rule. If you want to eat a remarkable piece of fruit pie, it must have 2 things: A flaky buttery crust and fresh ripe fruit.

Sounds pretty simple, eh? Well, the results are beautiful and delicious but the preparation takes a little time and love. I’ll walk you through my method of making a perfect pie with step by step instructions and some pictures to help you along. You may need a good long nap, a stiff drink, or some therapy afterwards…but you’ll have pie, and pie makes you happy!

Okay, let’s get started…

Remember the first thing I said a good fruit pie needs? That’s right…a flaky buttery crust. For me, that means a Pâte Brisée which is just a super fancy french name for a short crust pastry. My pastry is an all-butter crust as opposed to a butter shortening/lard combination or all shortening/lard crust. My reason for this is I prefer butter to shortening or lard in just about anything except maybe homemade tortillas. I love the buttery flavor and the flaky consistency of an all-butter crust, but most of all I love the simplicity of the ingredients.

Pâte Brisée (Short Crust Pastry):

  • 2 1/2 cups (350 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 slightly heaping teaspoon salt (I use Kosher salt)
  • 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar
  • pinch of ground cinnamon (optional)
  • 1 cup (226 g) unsalted cold butter (cut into small cubes)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup (60-120 ml) ice water
Short Crust Pastry - Three Little Blackbirds

perfect pie crust

  1. Measure out the flour into a medium bowl and add the salt, sugar, and cinnamon.
  2. Whisk lightly to combine
  3. Cut the cold butter into small cubes
  4. Add the butter to the flour mix and toss in the flour to coat
  5. Using a pastry cutter, blend/cut the butter into the flour. (you can also do this in a food processor by pulsing until the the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. I prefer to do this by hand using a pastry cutter because I am a control freak and I don’t want all of the crumbs the same size.)
  6. Stop when the mixture looks like corn meal with some larger bits of butter, no larger than the size of a pea. (Those slightly larger bits of butter will create steam during baking which results in flaky crust. I find that with a food processor the crumbs are more uniform and you miss out on this benefit.)
  7. Measure out your ice water but don’t worry about being too exact here because the amount of water you actually use will depend on where you live, the time of year, the amount of moisture in the air, etc. Don’t let this scare you though, you’ll be fine!
  8. Add a couple of tablespoons (by eye) of your very cold ice water (needs to be cold in order to not melt the butter) in a steady stream into your flour mixture. Using a fork, stir the mixture around. Repeat this process until you no longer see a lot of loose crumbs in the bowl when you stir. The idea here is to add just enough water to get the dough to begin to come together but not so much water that you have a wet soggy mess. The less water..the better!
  9. The mixture will still be quite crumbly but it should just hold together when pinched in your fingers. If it does, it’s ready!
  10. Pour the moist yet crumbly dough out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Fold the wrap completely over the crumbles.
  11. Gently “knead” the dough a few times until it comes together inside the plastic. Doing this through the plastic wrap serves 2 purposes: First, it prevents you from having to use more flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands or the counter (more flour = tough pastry). Second, it prevents the butter from melting into the dough from the direct heat of your hands (we need that butter cold and separate in order to create steam)
  12. The dough should now be one nice solid disk and you should be able to see little smooshed bits of butter throughout the dough. Place the wrapped dough into the refrigerator for one hour (up to 1 day) so that the gluten in the flour can relax and the butter can chill.

Fresh Peach Filling:

  • 3.5 lbs of “freestone” style peaches (about 7-8 medium sized peaches)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons (24 g) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch

Before preparing the filling, we need to remove the skin from the peaches by blanching them. Have a big pot of boiling water ready and a big bowl of ice water standing by.

Fresh Peach Pie - Three Little Blackbirds

how to blanch peaches

  1. Measure out your peaches and check that they don’t have any major bruises or blemishes on them
  2. Remove stems and stickers, if necessary, and if you’re not using organic peaches, give them a good rinse in water
  3. Slice an “X” into the blossom end of the peach just through the skin
  4. Dip the peaches into boiling water for 30-60 seconds depending on the ripeness of the peach
  5. Transfer the peaches to the ice water to stop the cooking process
  6. The skins should now slip off very easily, if they don’t peel off easy, leave the peaches in the ice water a little longer. Peaches will look beautiful and slippery and be ready to slice.

Now you’re ready to prepare the filling:

Cut the peaches in half and remove the pits (careful, the peaches will be slippery!). Slice the peaches and add to a large bowl.

Immediately squeeze the lemon juice over the peaches to prevent browning.

Fresh Peach Pie - Three Little Blackbirds

fresh lemon juice prevents browning

Toss the peaches with the sugar, salt, cinnamon and butter. Cover with plastic wrap for about 30 minutes so peaches can juice. When the peaches have released their juices, carefully pour just the juice into a separate small bowl and whisk in the cornstarch until combined.

Fresh Peach Pie - Three Little Blackbirds

Pour the juice and cornstarch mixture back into the peach filling and toss around a bit. Set aside covered with plastic wrap.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and cut in half. Cover one half with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator.

On a slightly floured surface begin to roll the remaining half of dough into a circular shape by rolling from the center out and turning quarter turns to make sure the dough isn’t sticking to your surface. Fold the dough in half and gently transfer to a 9 inch pie plate.

Brush off any excess flour and carefully press the dough down into the pie plate. Tuck any overhanging pastry under itself and lightly crimp the edges using your fingers. Refrigerate the pastry, wrapped in plastic wrap while you roll out the other half of the dough.

Repeat the rolling process with the other half of the dough and transfer your rolled pastry to a parchment lined baking sheet. Place the pastry into the refrigerator along with the pastry in the pie plate while the oven preheats.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and place your oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
Remove the pastry in the pie plate from the refrigerator and pour the filling into the the chilled crust.

Pour a small amount of cream, half n half, or milk into a small bowl.

Brush the edges of the crust with the milk or cream and then place the top crust over the peaches.

Tuck the overhanging edges under the crimped bottom crust and gently press the dough together to seal.

Crimp the edges of the pie using your desired method. I pinch the dough with one hand and press down on the pinched dough with my finger on the other hand.

Sprinkle the top of the pie with granulated sugar to finish.

Immediately place the pie into the preheated oven and bake for 45-55 minutes or until the crust is a lovely golden brown and the filling is bubbly. If the crust browns too much, cover the edges with foil and continue to bake until done.

Allow the pie to cool for one hour before slicing so the filling can set. Serve room temperature.

Savor each bite..by yourself, with a friend or family, with coworkers. Eat a second slice while hiding in the closet, if you’re so inclined.

Feel the happiness….

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Previous Post: « Lavender Cake with Salted Caramel
Next Post: Coop Cleaning Tips »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Anonymous says

    July 11, 2018 at 8:27 am

    I love this recipe and never liked peach pie as much as I do now that I have tried this one. These instructions are so well done that even the novice like me was able to bake a pie. Always appreciate your details in your posts. Your passion is so palatable, thanks for sharing your love.

  2. Kalani I Kamakavivole says

    December 7, 2018 at 6:20 pm

    HI I love your website and your recipes are Amazing! Would you consider posting a berry pie or cobbler and an apple pie? Hope so.

    • Erin says

      December 8, 2018 at 1:01 pm

      Thanks for the suggestion! I will take these into consideration when contemplating new recipes to add 🙂

Primary Sidebar

farmer & baker & designer

From Graphic Designer to Pastry Chef to Chicken Farmer, my career path has been quite the squiggly line. But today, I am able to use all of those crafts and knowledge at Three Little Blackbirds to offer rare breed hatching eggs, artisan bakery recipes, custom graphics and logos, and goods for the home and farm. All designed and packaged beautifully with love and care. Read More...

looking for something?

You can find us here…

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr

Join me on Instagram

Coats handmade from vintage quilts and textiles? Y Coats handmade from vintage quilts and textiles? Yes please! Logo made for @mabelandsnow
When your favorite things are wild roses, rosehips When your favorite things are wild roses, rosehips, lavender, oak leaves and Lavender Ameraucana chickens - you put them all in your logo 💖
Who’s ready for road side farm stands and farmer Who’s ready for road side farm stands and farmers markets? 🙋🏻‍♀️👩🏻‍🌾 #hurryupspring 

Did you know.. in addition to custom designing your logo, we can print your logo(s) on apparel as well as organic farmers market tote bags & book bags and create rubber stamps of your logo(s) which are perfect for stamping on egg cartons, shipping boxes, and or merchandise bags. Swipe to see some examples from this set 👀 

#logodesigner #customlogo #businesslogodesign #farmlogo
Happy love day! ❤️ Here’s a few logo sets th Happy love day! ❤️ Here’s a few logo sets that celebrate all things sweet, hearts and love. 

#spreadlove #happyvalentinesday #logodesigner #graphicdesign #customlogo #businesslogo
Such a cute house 😍 Swipe to see the actual hou Such a cute house 😍 Swipe to see the actual house that was drawn with added tulips in the front in the client’s favorite color purple. 

Need a logo? Head to our website store and find our online form under “logo creation” or visit our link in profile! 
#handillustrated #customlogodesign #houselogo #logodesigner
After the arctic blast we just had in Upstate NY t After the arctic blast we just had in Upstate NY the past 24 hrs, I’m looking forward to Spring with honey bees and flowers and warmer temps. How about you? 

Vintage logo set for this Australian honey producer. Honey label on slide 2, swipe to see all 🐝🍯🌻
Are you a Big Dog or a Little Dog person? Either w Are you a Big Dog or a Little Dog person? Either way, this dog spa and boarding facility in Texas has you covered. 🐩🐕‍🦺🐾

#customlogo #businesslogo #graphicdesign #logodesigner #vintagelogo #vintagestyle
New Watercolor logo set for this sweet farm in Ken New Watercolor logo set for this sweet farm in Kentucky. 🎨
I love old brick buildings. They have so much char I love old brick buildings. They have so much character! Corey and I recently visited upstate New York and swooned at all of the beautiful historical architecture there. We might also be keeping a little secret related to that and I can’t reveal details just yet, but I will soon 🤫🤐 

Here’s a recent hand sketched building logo completed for a client that is turning a brick house into an Inn. ❤️💜

On a personal note…Corey and I are celebrating 20 years married today. Wow, that makes me feel both accomplished and…old!! 👵🏻 Two decades with my best friend. Crazy.
Is it the weekend yet? Who else is in need of so Is it the weekend yet? 

Who else is in need of some dirt road therapy? When Corey and I lived in Colorado, we would take the kids and the dogs and head towards the mountains to see the Aspen trees changing colors this time of year. With our coffees, and a good book we were reading packed in our bags, we would find a new dirt road and get lost looking for those twinkling golden leaves. We’d spend the afternoon surrounded by nature, with dirt on our boots and fresh air in our lungs. Whenever I think about needing a “reboot” I think about those trips to the Aspen trees and the smell of the dirt roads and the excitement of exploring somewhere new. 

I made this shirt to remind myself to get more dirt road therapy no matter where I am in my life, maybe it will help you too 🤎
Where’s my goat people at? The Greatest.Of.All. Where’s my goat people at?

The Greatest.Of.All.Time. 🐐 No wonder goats are such divas 🤣 We still love em though! 

Speaking of diva goats we love…Tulip has her amputation surgery tomorrow morning. I am so nervous for her! 😩send all your prayers and love this way, please 🙏🏻🌷💖

New merch in the apparel shop 🛒
Sometimes, bigger is not always better. Small th Sometimes, bigger is not always better. 

Small things gathered from the farm today: little juicy peaches from our first year trees, cherry tomatoes from the garden, mini roses and buds, mums in bloom that we planted last Fall, and pullet eggs from my first batch of chicks hatched this year 👉🏻swipe to see how cute they were 🐥🥰

Beautiful black egg cartons from @poultrycartons
Gina of Terra Linda Farms is a new chicken mama in Gina of Terra Linda Farms is a new chicken mama in TX and used our chicken coop as the inspiration for her new build. She also wanted her cute new coop as the focal point in her logo along with some florals, berries and veggies that she grows. I loved drawing this sweet little one up, it was so close to my own heart & farm! 

What do you think of Gina’s #logo set in hand sketched with watercolor style? ✍🏻🎨
When you already have natural Easter Eggs from you When you already have natural Easter Eggs from your Easter Eggers, hand painted eggs are a fun alternative to died eggs! 🖌

These were painted on #blowneggs so we could keep them, but you could paint on hard boiled eggs too with non-toxic paint. 

It’s a fun project! Have you ever painted eggs for Easter? 🥚🥚🥚
The logo that made me obsessed with this breed. 😩 #prettiestcow 
Go to her post to see the real heifer behind the drawing 🥰

#Repost @calfvet_
・・・
March 31, 2020 - It’s been 1 year since Rona was born! 

Rona was the first British White Park born on our farm and we were OVER THE MOON with this perfect little heifer. She’s still our favorite calf in our heifer pen.🖤

Rona was the inspiration behind the “Proverbs 12:10” design - the Bible verse that has long been my motivation. 

When times get confusing. When the day is long. 
When we need to make a tough call. 

It all boils down to doing what’s right by our animals. 🖤 

(Rona is out of our cow Rose, whose set to be out first cow to calve again this year!)
Follow us on Instagram

Get our monthly newsletter

It includes announcements, new products, discount codes and the inside scoop on hatching egg availabilities!

Footer

About the owner

My name is Erin. I am a mother of three, chicken farmer, gardener, pastry enthusiast, and self-proclaimed food snob. I love to dig in the dirt. I love to ride horses. I love the smell of lavender and roses and lilacs and hay. I am a dreamer, but kneading bread dough keeps me Earth bound. Im glad you're here! Read More...

Small Business Proud

Need to Track an Order?

Visit our Tracking Page here

Looking for something?

Let’s connect!

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Copyright © 2023 Three Little Blackbirds