Blueberry Peach Pie with Whole Grain Flakey Butter Crust
Today is Labor Day; the marking of the end of summer and the beginning of fall. In Jackson, WY, the mountain days are warm, but the evenings are chilly. The leaves of the Aspen trees turn a vibrant yellow gold, shimmering in the sun. The summer fruits, berries and peaches, are still in peak season, but the spiced flavors of fall are knocking at the door. The town grows quiet, as the tourists make their way home. Even the wildlife knows, change is coming. This, for me, is a time to pause; a moment to take a breath and look back on my summer adventures, and look forward to the excitement of the holidays.
It's also the ideal time to take advantage of the in between and create truly magical desserts, by combining the flavors of both seasons.
The fresh fruits of summer are bright, colorful and sweet, while fall flavors are nutty, warm, and buttery. These two ideals find the perfect romance, together, in this Blueberry Peach Pie with Whole Grain Flakey Butter Crust, using Kodiak Cakes All-Purpose Baking Mix.
I chose Kodiak Cakes All-Purpose Baking Mix for the crust, in leu of basic flour, for several reasons. The first being it packs a powerful nutritional punch, with 5 grams of fiber and 12 grams of protein per serving. Being pie crust is typically limited to butter, flour, and water, Kodiak Cakes Baking Mix makes the crust a healthy, valuable treat. It's not just a pie, it's more of a meal. With three growing boys running around, who always ask for seconds, I feel less guilty indulging them.
The second reason, I love the deep, hearty flavor whole grains bring to the crust. The nutty, buttery taste, along with the rich golden color and texture, are the perfect contrast to the light and tangy blueberry peach filling. Dusted with cinnamon and sugar, it adds the "fall" to an otherwise summery pie.
This may be my new favorite way to make pie crust! It would taste amazing with my Spiced Pumpkin Pie and Brown Butter Bourbon Pecan Pie as well.
Blueberry Peach Pie with Flakey Butter Crust
* Makes filling for one 9" or 10" pie
3 cups fresh peaches, thinly sliced
2 cups fresh blueberries
3/4 cup granulated sugar (plus 1 tablespoon for dusting)
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon (plus 1/4 teaspoon for dusting)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small cubes
1-2 tablespoons of heavy cream (for brushing the pie)
One batch of Flakey Butter Crust
Preheat your oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, mix the peaches and blueberries with the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and flour. Set aside.
Generously dust a work surface with flour. Roll out one disk of dough till it's 1/4" thick and wide enough to cover the bottom of your pie dish.
Fold the dough in half and transfer it to a 9" or 10" pie dish, then unfold. Lightly press the dough into the corners and tear off extra dough to leave 1/2" overhang.
Fill the dish with the berry mixture and scatter the top with 2 tablespoons of cubed butter. Set aside.
Roll out the top layer of dough to 1/4" thick and roughly 14" in diameter.
Fold the dough, place on top of the pie, and unfold. Trim the edges to leave 1/2" overhang.
Take the overhanging edges of top and bottom layer and tuck into a roll, crimping them together. You can use your finger or a fork to create a decorative edge.
Cut some decorative vents on the top layer. This is your chance to get crafty! I like to use leaf cutouts and braided pieces of dough, rather than the whole top layer. See photo.
Brush the top with heavy cream and dust with sugar and cinnamon.
Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce temperature to 375°F and bake for another 20 minutes. Cover the edges of the pie with foil (to prevent over browning) and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes till the juices bubble and thicken.
Allow to cool on a wire rack for several hours till juices thicken. Best served slightly warm with vanilla ice cream.
Whole Grain Flakey Butter Crust
* Makes enough dough for a bottom and top layer for 9" or 10" pie
2 1/2 cups Kodiak Cakes All-Purpose Baking Mix
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup + 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
5 to7 tablespoons ice water
extra flour for rolling dough
In a large bowl, mix the Kodiak Cakes All-Purpose Baking Mix and sea salt.
Add the cubed butter and, with a pastry blender or your fingertips, blend until the mixture begins to resemble small peas.
Mix the apple cider vinegar or lemon juice with the ice water. Drizzle a few tablespoons over the mixture and combine with a fork. Add more water till the dough begins to come together. Once the dough becomes moist and clumps together, it's hydrated enough.
Divide the dough into two balls. Flatten them into disks and wrap in plastic. Chill for 1 hour and up to 2 days.
Remove the dough 30 minutes before you're ready to use so it will roll out easily.