I love that song by The Presidents of the U.S.A.  I also considered Blame it on Peaches as a title, a nod to the the movie Blame It On Rio.  I’ve only seen bits of it with a very young Demi Moore in a bikini and Michael Caine sporting what looks like a tight perm.  What is it with the 80’s and perms anyway?  I’m not judging, as I had my fair share of them (done at home with neon pink and blue rollers).  I’m just wondering why we thought this was a good idea.

As you can see by the photos, this post is not about music, the 80’s, or perming one’s hair.  It’s about PIE, and to be precise, peach meringue pie, the hubster’s favorite that I make.  I like it, too.  I wish I could remember where I first saw a description of a pie like this, but I can’t.  I do remember being excited to go home and make my own, however.  Now you can, too.  Here’s how it goes:

Peach Meringue Pie

Crust

Buy or make your favorite pie crust, enough to line a tart pan or a 9″ pie plate.  I’m rather partial to Martha Stewart’s recipe from her classic book Pies and Tarts.  I love a buttery crust.   Cut a piece of parchment large enough to fit the pan with a bit of overhang then fill with pie weights or dry beans (I keep a container of them expressly for this purpose).  Bake at 450 degrees for 8 minutes.  Remove the parchment and beans as carefully as you can – the paper will likely brown and turn very brittle, like mine did.  As well, and as you can see, it will be hard to get everything out without spilling the beans, tee hee!  Bake an additional 5-6 minutes, or until golden.  Cool.

1-2 tablespoons chocolate chips

Melt the chocolate chips.  I put them in a metal measuring cup over low heat on the stove top.  It goes pretty quickly.  Brush the melted chocolate over the pie crust, though not on the exposed edge.  This helps prevent the custard from softening the crust.  Don’t worry, you won’t be able to taste the chocolate.  Though, if this worries you, white chocolate chips are certainly an option.

Filling (make while the crust bakes)

2 tablespoons corn starch

1/3 cup sugar

2 cups milk

3 egg yolks, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon butter

Mix the corn starch, sugar, and milk together in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the mixture starts to thicken and bubble.  Cook another two minutes and remove from heat.  Mix 3/4 of a cup of the hot milk into the egg yolks.  Pour back into the pan, mix well, and return to the heat, stirring until it bubbles again.  Cook another two minutes, remove from the heat, and stir in the vanilla and butter.  Sometimes I like to add a little powdered ginger here.  It is a wonderful complement to peaches.  Allow to cool.

Meringue

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 egg whites

6 tablespoons sugar

Beat the egg whites, cream of tartar, and vanilla together until the mixture starts to form mounds.  Add a tablespoon or two of sugar at a time, thoroughly incorporating it before adding more.  If you add too much too soon, it will be runny and unusable.  When you are finished, it will be thick and glossy beautiful!

2 -3 peaches, sliced

Though I used some left over compote this time, I usually line the crust with fresh peaches.  Top with the cooled pudding then the meringue, making sure you get it to the edge, so it won’t shrink while baking.

Bake at 350 for fifteen minutes or until golden brown.  Though it will be very tempting, allow to cool before serving.  Enjoy!

Now to address my little problem or the emperor’s new clothes, so to speak, me and this durn sugar addiction.  I’ve eaten it twice this week!  Once for Bunco – I made a delicious buttermilk bundt cake with a praline glaze and peach compote (hence the left overs) and this pie.  I can’t invite people over without giving them sweets, thus requiring me to buy ingredients and bake a cake.  Since I had the leftover flour, sugar, and compote, hate being wasteful, and know how much the hubster loves this pie, I could think of no other logical conclusion but to make it and eat one slice.  Would Spock be proud or look at me in wild wonder?  Gosh, I don’t know, but I’ll bet he’d enjoy a slice of pie or cake while we discuss it.  Alas, I’ll take it day by day.  There is always tomorrow.

Oh yes, I can’t forget to say – Happy Birthday Sarah and Becky!  Happy Anniversary Bridget and Eric!  You’re all wonderful people who bring the best kind of sweetness into my life…