It’s not summer in the South until you get yourself a peck of sweet Georgia peaches. When you’ve had your fill of the fresh, juicy fruit straight from a local produce stand, use what’s left to whip up this sweet treat, perfect for any summer picnic!
What You’ll Need
For the crust:
- 1 prepared slab pie crust,
- blind baked (without filling)
For the preserve topping
- 4 cups peaches, fresh or frozen for preserve
- 4 cups peaches, fresh (for finished product)
- 1 large lemon, juiced
- 1 cup sugar
For the sweet cream filling
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups cream cheese
- ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
Recipe
To prepare the peach preserve, combine 4 cups of peaches, lemon juice and sugar in a medium-sized sauce pot over high heat. Using a whisk or wooden spoon, stir until combined.
Bring peach filling to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium and allow the peaches to continue to cook down. Stir occasionally. Remove the pot from the heat once the filling has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon and the peaches have broken down into smaller chunks.
Pour peach preserve into a heat-proof container and allow to cool on counter for no more than 2 hours, stirring occasionally. Place preserve in the refrigerator to cool and thicken up more, several hours or overnight. The preserve will last in your refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
For the sweet cream filling, add heavy whipping cream and vanilla to a stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, mix on high until light and fluffy. Transfer the whipped cream to a different container and store in the refrigerator.
Add cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar to a stand mixer. Using a paddle attachment, begin mixing on low and gradually increase speed until smooth and creamy. Periodically turn off machine and scrape down sides with a spatula.
Remove whipped cream from the refrigerator and add it back into the stand mixer, combining it with the cream cheese and confectioners’ sugar. Mix on low and gradually increase speed until combined.
To assemble, fill the blind baked slab pie shell ¾ way up with the sweet cream filling. Spread evenly with a spatula. Top with plastic wrap and allow to set in refrigerator for minimum of 30 minutes.
Right before serving, remove plastic wrap. Place slices of fresh cut peaches in a horizontal pattern across the sweet cream filling.
To serve, cut the slab pie into rectangular portions. Using a spoon, carefully top each serving with preferred amount of peach preserve.
This pie is best served 1 to 3 days after it has been made. Keep refrigerated.
RECIPE AND PHOTO COURTESY OF PIE BAR IN WOODSTOCK, PIEPROVISIONS.COM
