Coconut/Pecan/Peach Pie--again???

Coconut/Pecan/Peach Pie--again??? This pie was so good that I needed to make another one before peach season ends here in Colorado. This time we ate a couple of pieces and I put the remaining pieces in individual freezer containers for peach pie cravings in the (probably not to distant) future. Oh summer is starting to wane, can you stand it? It has been so great this summer in the high country of Colorado--lots of wildflowers, great temperatures, plenty of rain and so far no wildfires. But it's time to start thinking apples!! This little town is the center of apple country in Colorado and the yearly Applefest is coming up in September. I have three old apple trees in my yard & the apples are starting to turn red so it won't be long. I'm searching for apple pie recipes and will have several up soon. Enjoy the last of summer.~Annie

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Coconut/Pecan/Peach Pie

The question was, can I possibly make yet another peach pie? How decadent, but those incredible fragrant Colorado peaches were just sitting there. I did freeze a bunch and make some jam but the idea of a fresh peach pie which is something you can make for only a few short weeks was just too compelling. So I started looking for something a little different and found a recipe for a Peach Pie with Coconut Almond Topping in the cookbook: Pie: 300 Tried-and-True Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pie (Paperback).
I hadn't really thought of putting coconut on a peach pie but it sounded interesting. Taking a look at the recipe, I realized the only ingredient I didn't have was the almonds, but...I did have pecans, so I figured I would go for it. I made the bottom crust, the peach filling, had oven heating when I realized that I was supposed to food process the topping ingredients to a mealy texture. Hey, I don't have a stinking food processor up in the mountains! Too late to back up now so I just mixed the topping with a fork and went for it. End result--this is a fabulous pie! If you have peaches, you have to try it--make the original recipe or my variation, I think you will agree!


Peach Pie with Coconut Topping
-one single pie crust

Filling:

2 lbs peaches
1 & 1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 nutmeg

Topping
1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sliced pecans
1/2 cup sweentened flaked coconut
6 tablespoons butter cut in to small pieces
1 tablespoon milk

*I used a little more coconut and pecan pieces

1. make bottom crust, place in pan and chill until peaches are ready
2. combine peaches, lemon juice,lemon zest, 1/3 c. sugar in bowl and mix and let sit.
3. preheat oven 400 degrees
4. mix cornstarch with the 3 tablespoons sugar and sprinkle over peach mixture. Stir in vanila and nutmeg and turn peaches out into chilled pie crust and bak for 30 minutes.
5. make the topping by combining flour, sugar,salt, almonds (or pecans)and coconut in food processor and pulse. Scatter butter over mixture and pulse again until fine crumbs. add milk and process again until gravelly. (I DIDN'T DO THIS AND THE PIE WAS GREAT--I DIDN'T HAVE A FOOD PROCESSOR-SO WHAT). Refrigerate until ready to use.
6. remove pie from oven and reduce temp to 375 degrees. dump crumbs on top of pie and spread evenly pressing down just a bit to compact.
7. return pie to oven and bake until juices bubble all around edge (it just got slightly brown)
8. cool 1 hour before slicing
YUM!

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Coconut Cream Pie

I use my 1979 version of the Fannie Farmer Cookbook for a lot of basic recipes. If you didn't know, Fannie Merritt Farmer published the original book in 1896 under the title “The Boston Cooking School Cook Book”.

In the Fannie Farmer Cookbook she has a lot of great pie recipes but one that I use most often is her basic cream pie recipe. You can use this for Banana & Coconut and by simply adding some unsweetened chocolate it makes a fabulous chocolate cream pie. Because the cream part of the pie calls for egg yolk, I typically make a meringue topping rather the whipped cream topping, which makes it a little lighter.

Pastry dough for 9-inch pie plate (use basic crust recipe from July 09 post)

Cream Filling:
3/4 C sugar
1/2 C flour
1/4 t salt
3 C whole milk
3 egg yolks, room temperature slightly beaten (reserve whites for meringue)
2 T butter
1 t vanilla
1/2 C shredded coconut plus more for topping

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line pan with pastry dough and prick with a fork and bake for 12-15 minutes. Set aside. Combine the sugar, flour, and salt in a saucepan. Stir in the milk and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Add the egg yolks and continue to cook, stirring for about 3 more minutes. Remove from the stove and add vanilla, butter, and coconut. Cool slightly. Pour into pie shell. At this point if you choose to make a coconut cream pie with whipped cream, refrigerate pie for 2- 3 hours and then add whip cream topping with a little toasted coconut on the top.
If you want to make the meringue topping then to the following:

Meringue Topping

5 egg whites room temperature (add 2 to the 3 your reserved)
1/2 C sugar
1/4 t salt

Place in mixing bowl and mix at high speed until stiff and shiny. Top your room temp pie filling with the meringue. Sprinkle with coconut and bake at 425 degrees for about 5 minutes or until coconut and meringue are slightly brown. Watch closely, it can burn quickly.

Once this has cooled completely refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours. Store both your cream pie and your meringue pie in the refrigerator and it will keep for 2-3 days.
Mary Etta

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