This pie? This is the dessert I requested for my birthday growing up in late July. Layers of fresh peaches are pillowed by pudding and cream. Each bite melts in your mouth and some kids have been known to just spoon it in and swallow, not even chewing in between. It can be as easy as you want for a quick summer dessert or you can be as crazy as I am and make every part from scratch for a decadent dessert that will convince you that it is not time yet to be cooking with pumpkin.
My mom’s version is easier, more sensible, less time consuming and makes much less mess. You just fill a chocolate pie crust with a package of instant pudding mixed with two cups of whipping cream and toss in some peaches. My version? Much more complicated, but worth it if you are the type put in the effort for these types of things. It’s the little things, right? You can decide for yourself how homemade you want this to be. Maybe you buy the crust, but make the pudding? It’s kind of like a Choose Your Own Adventure here. It’s up to you, but I promise it’s worth the extra effort, especially if all you have been assigned for Sunday dinner is the dessert.
I found my vanilla pudding recipe at Taste of Home. The reason I like this version is that it uses corn starch, so it’s naturally gluten free and the way they deal with the eggs is easier and less time consuming than most recipes. If you have a favorite, just make enough for about 2 cups of pudding.
I use my favorite chocolate tart crust recipe from my favorite Sur La Table cooking companion for the pie crust. Of course, the best peaches you can find are a must for this dessert. I advise making the pudding and crust on day one, then putting the pie together on day 2. It’s going to look prettiest if you put it together and eat it right away, but since I’ve been eating this since I was a kid, I like putting the finished pie in the fridge for about an hour, so the crust starts falling apart into the cream. It’s not as pretty, but kids aren’t really worried about that sort of thing.
For the crust:
1 stick unsalted butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 cup flour (I use the Gluten Free Mama
‘s Almond flour when making this gluten-free)
2 1/2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed for three minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Check for lumps and continue mixing until the lumps are removed. Add the egg yolk and beat until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and beat again. In a medium bowl whisk together the cocoa and flour. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on the lowest speed until blended. Scrape the dough into your pie pan and press into the pan until there are no cracks in the dough. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking. After 30 minutes, remove from fridge and bake at 350º for 30 minutes or until the crust just barely starts to brown. If you are storing this for the next day’s use, wrap it in plastic wrap once it has cooled.
For the pudding:
2 1/2 cups milk, divided
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons corn starch
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon butter
In a medium sized saucepan place 2 cups milk and the salt. Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the milk, but do not stir. Heat over medium heat until the milk starts to boil. While the milk heats up, quickly stir together the remaining 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch. Add the egg yolks and stir until combined. When the milk has come to a boil, remove from heat and add the cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly while the mixture thickens. Return to heat and continue to stir for one more minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and butter. Once the pudding has cooled, store in the fridge in a sealed container until ready to use.
For the Whipped Cream:
1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons sugar, powdered works best, but granulated will do in a pinch
Put cream in the mixing bowl of a large stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat on high until soft peaks form. Stir in the sugar. If you aren’t using this immediately, store in the fridge.
4 large peaches, 3 of the peaches chopped into bite-size pieces, 1 of the peaches sliced to be arranged on top of the pie
Blackberries or raspberries for garnish
To Assemble the Pie:
In a large bowl mix together 2 cups of pudding and 1 1/2 cups – 2 cups of cream, depending on your taste preference. Add the chopped peaches and dump into your cooled pie crust. Arrange the sliced peaches on top of the pie and garnish with the berries.
- For the crust:
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup flour (I use the Gluten Free Mama‘s Almond flour when making this gluten-free)
- 2½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- For the pudding:
- 2½ cups milk, divided
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon butter
- For the Whipped Cream:
- 1¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 3 tablespoons sugar, powdered works best, but granulated will do in a pinch
- 4 large peaches, 3 of the peaches chopped into bite-size pieces, 1 of the peaches sliced to be arranged on top of the pie
- Blackberries or raspberries for garnish
- For the crust:
- Place butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat on medium speed for three minutes. Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Check for lumps and continue mixing until the lumps are removed. Add the egg yolk and beat until smooth. Scrape down the bowl and beat again.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the cocoa and flour. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on the lowest speed until blended. Scrape the dough into your pie pan and press into the pan until there are no cracks in the dough. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking.
- After 30 minutes, remove from fridge and bake at 350º for 30 minutes or until the crust just barely starts to brown. If you are storing this for the next day's use, wrap it in plastic wrap once it has cooled.
- For the pudding:
- In a medium-sized saucepan place 2 cups milk and the salt. Sprinkle the sugar over the top of the milk, but do not stir. Heat over medium heat until the milk starts to boil. While the milk heats up, quickly stir together the remaining ½ cup milk and cornstarch. Add the egg yolks and stir until combined.
- When the milk has come to a boil, remove from heat and add the cornstarch mixture. Stir constantly while the mixture thickens. Return to heat and continue to stir for one more minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and butter. Once the pudding has cooled, store in the fridge in a sealed container until ready to use.
- For the Whipped Cream:
- Put cream in the mixing bowl of a large stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Beat on high until soft peaks form. Stir in the sugar. If you aren't using this immediately, store in the fridge.
- large peaches, 3 of the peaches chopped into bite-size pieces, 1 of the peaches sliced to be arranged on top of the pie
- Blackberries or raspberries for garnish
- To Assemble the Pie:
- In a large bowl mix together 2 cups of pudding and 1½ cups - 2 cups of cream, depending on your taste preference. Add the chopped peaches and dump into your cooled pie crust. Arrange the sliced peaches on top of the pie and garnish with the berries.