Baking Classics
The Technique
Stars Fell On Alabama Peach Slab Pie
County Road 31. By far the most handsome in the stable, Diablo held a dignified stature at the farm in rural Alabama. His coat stark white with a pattern of splotchy, dotted markings that began near his mane & trailed off about mid-saddle in the uncanny shade of Benjamin Moores’ Abyss. I had never been horseback riding. We began the outing along a heavily wooded trail with a bit of a drop off secured only by a railing made of posts strung with rope on our girl scout field trip. A few minutes into the trek & I was feeling comfortable, trusting Diablos’ guidance that at first seemed a little awkward. But in one quick motion, I was jolted high up into the air. My back arched & I felt as though I was low to the ground. In a split second I remember thinking, you’ve either gotta hold on or let go– what’s it gonna be? I clenched the reigns tight with both hands as his front hooves hit the ground, then we were airborne again. Mrs. N, our neighbor & avid horse lover, quickly & carefully began making her way towards us passing several of the other girls along the way. I don’t know what she did but she was able to gently calm Diablo. My Lone Ranger moment left me shaken, my chest tight & my face red hot but feeling extremely relieved. I was given the option to call it quits & head back to the stables. I lifted my head. With saturated lashes & fuzzy images in the distance, I finished the journey. We boarded the bus & made a small detour on the way home for a round of homemade peach ice cream. I think it was just to make me feel better & everyone was able to reap the benefit.
Chilton County has long been home to the best peach orchards around & in the state of Alabama, everyone knows the fruit they bear stars in some of the most stunning summer pies, cobblers & homemade jam. If you love pastry crust then Stars Fell On Alabama Peach Slab Pie is for you as there are three recipes of Buttermilk-Cornmeal Pastry Dough used to get the look. The simple ingredients stay true to the stars as the juicy peach flavor shines bright in this lovely creation. When sliced, expect neat & tidy little squares of crust filled with summer’s finest. If you’re ready to hone your baking skills, try this intermediate level pie technique guaranteed to impress family & friends.
Stars Fell On Alabama Peach Slab Pie
makes 12 servings
Chilton County, Alabama is home to some of our most prized peach orchards in the south. The fruit picked from these very trees star in this triple crust pie prepared in a 1/4 sheet pan but a 13 x 9-inch baking pan can be substituted, if desired.
3 recipes Buttermilk-Cornmeal Pastry Dough
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp cornstarch
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 3/4 lbs sliced fresh peaches {about 6 large}
1 egg white
1 Tbsp sugar
Natural vanilla bean ice cream
Prepare the three recipes of Buttermilk-Cornmeal Pastry Dough according to the Stars Fell On Alabama Lattice Crust instructions. Whisk together the sugar, the cornstarch & the salt in a large bowl. Toss the peaches {about 6 cups} into the sugar mixture, stirring until evenly coated.
Remove all of the prepped doughs for the Stars Fell on Alabama Lattice Crust from the refrigerator. Let stand at room temperature until pliable, about 15 minutes. Remove the top piece of plastic wrap from The Bottom Crust Pastry & invert into a lightly greased quarter sheet pan, measuring approximately 13 x 9-inches. Remove the second piece of plastic wrap. Fit the dough down into the pan. Lift the excess dough hanging over the sides & lightly press it outwards onto the lip edge. Add the peach mixture.
Remove the plastic wrap from the Stars Fell On Alabama Lattice Strips. Start the pattern by placing 3 {13 x 2-inch} pieces over the peaches horizontally. Lift back the middle piece of dough & place 1 {11 x 2-inch} strip on top of the other two outer pieces of dough. Replace the middle piece of dough so that it covers the {11 x 2-inch} vertical piece.
Lift the two {13 x 2-inch} outer horizontal pastry strips & place a second {11 x 2-inch} strip of dough over the center piece of dough & the exposed fruit. Replace the {13 x 2-inch} outer pastry strips & continue the pattern until all of the {11 x 2-inch} dough strips are used. Tuck & pinch the Stars Fell On Alabama Lattice Strips & the The Bottom Crust Pastry together to seal. Fold the seam under building a lip on the pan edge. Crimp the dough using one of these Pie Crust Fluting Techniques. Brush the pastry surface with the egg white & sprinkle with the remaining 1 Tbsp sugar. Freeze the pie 20 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the slab pie on a foil-lined half sheet pan. Bake on the lower oven rack 30 minutes. Cover the pie edges loosely with foil & reduce the temperature to 350 degrees. Bake an additional 20 to 30 minutes or until the peaches are tender, the crust is golden & the filling is bubbling steadily in several spots around the lattice pie crust. Cool 3 hours.
Meanwhile, brush the Pastry Stars with egg white & sprinkle with a little additional sugar. Place on a lightly greased foil-lined half sheet pan. Bake at 350 degrees 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely. Slice the pie & serve with ice cream. Garnish with the Pastry Stars, if desired.
Buttermilk-Cornmeal Pastry Dough
three recipes makes enough for 1 {13 x 9-inch} lattice pattern pie & 50 miniature stars
Stars Fell On Alabama Lattice Crust
The star cut outs are baked separately once the pie is removed from the oven to give you plenty of serving options. Place them in any pattern you like over the dessert or sprinkle them over a vanilla ice cream topped slice.
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 Tbsp plain yellow cornmeal
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup cold shortening
3 to 4 Tbsp whole buttermilk
Whisk together the flour, the cornmeal & the salt in a large bowl. Cut the butter & the shortening into the mixture using a fork or your fingers until crumbly in texture making certain to leave some of the fat in large bits. Drizzle 3 to 4 Tbsp buttermilk over the mixture & shape the dough into a disc. Repeat the procedure twice for a total of three dough discs.
Stars Fell On Alabama Lattice Crust
Roll one dough disc between plastic wrap into a 15 x 9-inch rectangle. Cut the dough into an even shape using a pastry wheel & ruler to measure 13 x 8-inches, saving the dough scraps. Cut the rectangle into 4 {13 x 2-inch} wide strips. You will have one extra strip of dough. Transfer onto the bottom side of a half sheet pan & cover the pastry with plastic wrap. Chill the dough until ready to assemble the pie & use according to recipe instructions.
Roll a second dough disc between plastic wrap into a 14 x 12-inch rectangle. Cut the dough into an even shape using a pastry wheel & ruler to measure 11 x 8-inches, saving the dough scraps. Cut the rectangle into 4 {11 x 2-inch} wide strips. Transfer onto the bottom side of a half sheet pan & cover the pastry with plastic wrap. Chill the dough until ready to assemble the pie & use according to recipe instructions.
The Bottom Crust Pastry
Roll the remaining dough disc between plastic wrap into a 14 x 12-inch rectangle. Transfer onto the bottom side of a half sheet pan & cover the pastry with plastic wrap. Chill the dough until ready to assemble the pie & use according to recipe instructions.
Pastry Stars
Roll the dough scraps to 1/4-inch thickness & cut 50 miniature star shapes using a 7/8-inch cutter. Place on a pan & cover the pastry with plastic wrap. Chill the dough until ready to prepare them for baking.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Make A Peach Slab Pie
A slab pie is perfect for a number of casual outdoor socials. Preparing in a humble sheet pan makes it breezy to serve. Follow these valuable tips to craft your best peach slab pie.
The Technique
A few pieces of equipment will be necessary in order to prepare the pie. Read through the recipe before beginning. Her’s what you should know.
No. 1
The Fresh Peaches
It will take approximately 10 minutes to prep the peaches. For additional details useful for pie & pastry applications, look for my easy techniques on How To Peel, Pit & Slice Peaches. An important point of this step is to be certain that the cornstarch is dispersed evenly with the sugar so the filling thickens evenly & without clumping.
No. 2
The Latticework
Weaving the lattice design can be a little intimidating but don’t fret. Pastry dough can be a challenging medium so just be patient. If the dough gets too warm, pop it in the fridge to chill & firm back up a little. If you encounter tearing, the extra long dough strip can be used as a replacement. For more details, look into these additional tips on How To Make A Lattice Pie Crust Design.
No. 3
The Trimming & The Oven Preparation
The vertical strips can be trimmed using a pair of kitchen shears in order to fit more snug in the pan. Notice that the dough has some imperfections from building the latticework. This is normal & adds a home baked charm to the final pie. Once the egg wash is brushed over the pastry & sprinkled with sugar, it will seal some of the snags.
No. 4
The Fluting & The Baking
A Pressed Rope Edge flute finishes the pastry flawlessly adding a bold look to the traditional lattice pattern. Be certain to place the pie on a foil-lined half sheet pan as some of the hot filling may bubble over the lip in a few spots. The sides will keep it contained on the pan & not in the bottom of your oven & the foil will make clean up quick. This is normal in order for the filling to thicken & set properly as the pie cools.
No. 5
The Serving
The pie slices beautifully after standing about 3 hours at room temperature. The crust is ultra crisp & not soggy in the least. Expect a really clean slice as the filling juices will not pool in the bottom of the pan. For additional pointers on the subject, look to How To Make A Lattice Pie Crust Design.
The Tune
“A Midsummer’s Night Dream- Overture” Felix Mendelssohn
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