James Isn't the Only One Who Likes Peaches

Happy Wednesday! Peaches are really quite delicious this time of year and if you've been spending a lot of time just tossing them in a fruit salad, it's good to know there's a million other ways to use them as well. But here are 3...

For my dad's palate...
Peach-Tarragon Shortcake
Melissa Hamilton and Christopher Hirsheimer

Ingredients
Peaches:

• 4 large ripe peaches
• 2 sprigs tarragon
• 1/4–1/2 cup sugar

Shortcake and assembly:

• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 sprig tarragon
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 2 teaspoons sugar, plus more for sprinkling
• 1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream

• Whipped cream (for serving)

Directions
Peaches: 

1. Using the tip of a paring knife, score an X in the bottom of each peach. Cook in a large pot of boiling water just until skins begin to peel back where cut, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl of ice water; let cool. Peel; cut over a medium bowl into 1/4"-thick wedges, collecting juices.
2. Add tarragon and sugar to peaches and toss to combine. Let stand, tossing occasionally, until peaches release their juices and sugar is dissolved, about 1 hour.

Shortcake and assembly:

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Heat butter and tarragon in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter is melted; set aside.
2. Whisk cake flour, baking powder, salt, 1 cup all-purpose flour, and 2 teaspoons sugar in a large bowl. Drizzle chilled cream over and mix gently until dough holds together.
3. Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead into a shaggy ball, being careful not to overwork. Place on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and form into an 8"-diameter disk, about 1/2" thick. Brush with some reserved melted butter and sprinkle with sugar.
4. Bake until shortcake edges are golden brown, 12–15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°. Bake until golden brown all over, 8–10 minutes longer.
5. Brush shortcake with remaining melted butter. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. Cut shortcake into 8 wedges, spoon peaches and their juices over, and top with whipped cream.

Sans rolling pin, if you please...

The Easiest Peach-Raspberry Pie with Press-In Crust

Rhoda Boone

Ingredients

For the crust and crumb topping:

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup sugar, divided
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

For the filling:

• 1 1/2 pounds ripe yellow peaches (about 3–4 medium)
• 2 pints raspberries (about 4 cups)
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Special Equipment:

• 9" pie pan (not deep dish)

Directions

Make the crust and crumb topping:

1. Whisk 2 1/2 cups flour, salt, and 1 Tbsp. sugar in a large bowl. Drizzle in butter. Stir just to combine but do not fully incorporate. Texture should be crumbly with some large clumps.
2. Transfer 1 1/4 cups (loosely packed) crust mixture to a medium bowl; add cinnamon and remaining 3 Tbsp. sugar. Knead with fingertips until well-combined but still crumbly with a few pea-sized pieces remaining. Freeze until ready to use.
3. Add vinegar and 2 Tbsp. cold water to remaining crust mixture. Stir to form a dough, then transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until the texture is smooth. Transfer to pie pan and press into bottom and up sides with a flat-bottomed measuring cup. Crimp edge with a floured fork, if desired, and freeze while you prepare the filling.

Make the filling and bake the pie:

1. Position 1 rack in bottom third and 1 rack in center of oven; preheat to 425°F. Place a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet on bottom rack to preheat.
2. Slice peaches into 1/4-inch-thick wedges, then transfer to a large bowl. Add raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt and toss well to combine. Fill pie crust with fruit mixture, then sprinkle with crumb topping.
3. Place pie on preheated sheet and bake until crust begins to turn golden, 20–25 minutes. Rotate sheet, move to center rack, and reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Continue to bake pie until crust is golden brown and thickened juices are bubbling, 35-45 minutes more; cover crust with foil or a pie shield if it begins to darken too much before juices are bubbling. Cool on a wire rack at least 2 hours to allow juices to set before slicing.

Do Ahead: Pie dough and crumb topping can be made and frozen for up to 3 months; thaw before using.
Cooks' Note: This recipe can also be used to make 12 mini pies. Double the pie crust and crumb topping recipe, but make a single recipe of the filling. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Divide pie dough evenly among cups and press into bottom and up sides. Divide filling evenly among cups and top with crumb topping. Freeze any leftover crumb topping for later use. 

Set rack in center of oven, then preheat to 425°F. Bake mini pies until crusts begin to turn golden, 20–25 minutes. Rotate muffin tin and reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Continue baking until crusts are golden brown and thickened juices are bubbling, 20–25 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack, then use a knife to gently loosen and remove pies.

Classic...

Perfect Peach Pie

Sam Sifton

Ingredients

Pie Dough:

• 2 ½ cups or 300 grams all-purpose flour
• 12 tablespoons or 169 grams unsalted butter, cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• Yolk of 1 egg, beaten
• 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
• ¼ cup water, from 3/4 cup ice water
• White of 1 egg, beaten
• Pinch granulated sugar

Filling:

• 6 or 7 ripe peaches, peeled and sliced, approximately 5 cups
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup or 30 grams all-purpose flour
• Pinch of ground nutmeg

Directions

1. Make the pie dough. Using your fingertips or the pulse function of a food processor, blend together the flour, butter and salt until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. There should be pebbles of butter throughout the mixture.
2. Add egg yolk and vinegar to 1/4 cup ice water, and stir to combine. Drizzle 4 tablespoons of this mixture over the dough, and gently stir or pulse to combine. Gather a golf-ball-size bit of dough, and squeeze to combine. If it does not hold together, add a little more of the liquid, and stir or pulse, then check again. Repeat as necessary.
3. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and gather together into a rough ball. Divide the ball in half with a knife or a pastry scraper, then divide each portion in half again, and again, to create 8 portions. Using the heel of your hand, flatten each portion of dough once or twice to expand the pebbles of butter, then gather the dough together again in one ball. Divide this ball in half.
4. Flatten each ball into a 5- or 6-inch disc, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap the discs in plastic wrap, and place in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 425. Make the pie filling: Combine sliced peaches, lemon juice, sugar and flour in a large bowl, and gently mix to combine. Set aside.
6. Take the larger of the pastry discs out of the refrigerator, roll it out on a lightly floured surface and place in a 9-inch pie plate. Add the peaches. Sprinkle them with the ground nutmeg.
7. Roll out second disc of pastry. Place on top of filling. Wet edges of the bottom pastry disc with some cold water. Trim pastry, pinch bottom and top edges together and cut a few slits to allow steam to escape from the pie. Brush the egg white on the top, particularly around the edges, and sprinkle with a pinch of granulated sugar.
8. Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375. Cook until peaches bubble and pastry is golden, approximately 45 minutes to an hour.

Happy baking!