Peach Pies and Alibis (37 page)

Mound dough and place on a clean surface. Gently shape into 2 discs of equal size.
Do not overknead. Sprinkle a little flour around the discs. Wrap each disc in plastic
wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Remove first crust disk from the refrigerator. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes
or until soft enough to roll. Roll out with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface
to a 12-inch circle (Ella Mae uses a pie mat to help with measurements). Gently transfer
into a 9-inch pie plate. Carefully press the pie dough down so that it lines the bottom
and sides of the pie plate. Use kitchen scissors to trim the dough to within
¹
⁄
₂
inch of the edge of the pie dish.

Roll out second disk of dough and place on top of the pie filling. Pinch top and bottom
of dough firmly together. Trim excess dough with kitchen shears, leaving about an
inch of overhang. Fold the edge of the top piece of dough over and under the edge
of the bottom piece of dough, pressing together. Flute edges by pinching with thumb
and forefinger. Remember to score the center of the top crust with a few small cuts
so that steam can escape.

Charmed Egg Wash

To achieve a golden brown color for your crust, brush the surface with this egg wash
before placing the pie in the oven.

Note—if you’re short on time and decide to use the premade piecrusts found in your
grocery store’s dairy section, then use the egg wash on the crusts to give them a
homemade flavor.

Charmed Georgia Peach Pie

Prepare Charmed Piecrust.

Peel peaches and cut into slices. Stir together brown sugar, next 2 ingredients, and
¼ cup flour in a bowl; add peaches, stirring to coat. Immediately spoon peach mixture
into piecrust in pie plate, and dot with pieces of butter.

Carefully place remaining piecrust over filling; press edges of crusts together to
seal. Cut off excess crust and crimp edges of pie. Brush top of pie with beaten egg;
sprinkle with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar and a dusting of cinnamon if desired.
Cut 5 slits in top of pie for steam to escape. Or, create a lattice top by cutting
dough disk into strips using a fluted pastry wheel. Place on top of filling and follow
the egg/sugar/cinnamon finishing touches. Protect edges of crust with foil or pie
shield.

Freeze pie 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a cookie sheet covered with a sheet of parchment
paper in oven 10 minutes. Place pie on hot cookie sheet.

Bake at 425 degrees on lower oven rack 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375
degrees; bake 40 minutes. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to prevent overbrowning,
and bake 25 more minutes or until juices are thick and bubbly (juices will bubble
through top but parchment paper will
protect your tray). Transfer to a wire rack; cool 2 hours before serving.

Charmed Apple Ginger
Maple Crumble Pie

Roll out pie dough and place in a 9
¹
⁄
₂
-inch deep-dish pie dish. Put in the freezer to set.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the chopped apples in a large bowl with the
cornstarch, salt, brown sugar, maple syrup, lemon juice, lemon zest, and ginger. Toss
well using your fingers.

Place the apple mixture into the pie dish. Place the pie into the center oven rack
and bake for 45 minutes.

While baking, take all the crumble topping ingredients and place them in a bowl. Use
your hands and mix the ingredients until large crumbs form. Refrigerate until use.

After the 45 minutes are up, remove pie and reduce heat to 375 degrees. Sprinkle the
crumb topping evenly over the pie and bake for another 15 minutes. Cool on a wire
rack for at least one hour. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Charmed Peanut Butter Cup Pie

If making homemade crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9-inch glass pie dish
with cooking spray. Blend chocolate cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter in food processor
and press mixture over bottom and sides of pie dish. Bake crust for 15 minutes. Let
cool.

Combine chocolate chips,
²
⁄
₃
cup whipping cream, honey, and 1 teaspoon vanilla in microwave dish and microwave
until chocolate melts (2 to 3 minutes, depending on strength of your microwave). Whisk
until smooth and spread majority of chocolate mixture over bottom of crust, leaving
a few tablespoons of the chocolate to drizzle on top of the finished pie later on.
Freeze crust for 10 minutes.

Whisk peanut butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla in small bowl. In medium bowl, beat 1¾
cups whipping cream and
¹
⁄
₂
cup sugar until very thick (don’t beat until peaks form, however). Fold into peanut
butter in parts. Spoon peanut butter mousse over chocolate layer and chill for 1 hour
to 1 day. Garnish with drizzles of leftover chocolate mixture.

Charmed Mini Lemon Tarts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a stand mixer or food processor, blend cream cheese until smooth. Add the sugar.
Once the sugar is completely mixed into the cream cheese, add the eggs. Next, add
the lemon juice and zest, and process until completely blended and smooth. Spoon the
mixture into the individual tarts, filling to the top. Bake the mini tarts approximately
15 minutes or until filling is set.

Let cool and top with berries, whipped cream, a sprig of mint, or a piece of lemon
cut into a small triangle.

Mrs. Drever’s Charmed
“Customer of the Week” Banoffee Pie

Prepare ginger snap crust: In medium bowl, mix melted butter with brown sugar. Add
crushed ginger snaps. Mix well. Press mixture into 9-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees
for 5–8 minutes. Cool.

Put can of sweetened condensed milk in large saucepan and cover with water. Boil for
2 hours (adding water when necessary). Cool. Open and stir with fork to remove any
lumps. (It will be brown in color.) Spread on top of the ginger snap crust.

Slice three bananas and sprinkle with lemon juice. Arrange over the toffee.

Put large mixing bowl and electric mixer beaters in freezer for ten minutes. Remove
and add heavy whipping cream. Whip until peaks are just about to form and then add
in vanilla extract and sugar. Continue whipping until stiff and spread on top of banana
layer. Grate milk chocolate over the top. Chill until serving.

Charmed Lamb Pie

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread pine nuts on cookie sheet and toast for ten minutes.
While nuts are toasting, sauté onion and minced garlic in olive oil (1 to 2 minutes)
and then add lamb. Cook until lamb is nicely browned (about 5 minutes) and then drain
excess liquid. In large mixing bowl, combine lamb mixture with spices, pine nuts,
lemon juice, and yogurt. Pour filling into piecrust. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes at
400 degrees.

—Nathaniel Hawthorne

“Death by chocolate. That’s what the coroner’s report will read,” Olivia Limoges said
to the woman sitting next to her. She pushed away a plate still laden with a caramel
brownie, a hazelnut petit four, and a square of peanut butter fudge. “I’ll have to
be rolled home in a wheelbarrow.”

“That’s why this place is called Decadence.” Laurel Hobbs, local reporter and mother
to twin boys, bit off the end of a strawberry dipped in white chocolate and moaned.
“How can you resist the many, many temptations being offered to us? Here we are, two
of the lucky few invited to this exclusive event, and you’re showing restraint. Seriously,
Olivia, try this one. Just take a bite.”

Olivia glanced at the Amaretto cream puff and shook her head. “I think it was a mistake
to drink multiple martinis during the cocktail hour. I could hardly refuse the chocolate
martini I was given for the initial toast, and then Shelley pressed something called
a Snickertini into my hand and stood there while I drank it. I didn’t want to offend
her on
her big night, and Michel would poison me at work tomorrow if I did anything to upset
his beloved chocolatier, so down the hatch it went.”

Laurel held up her hands. “No more talk of poisoning, strangling, or any other form
of murder, please. I think we’ve had enough violence to last us several lifetimes.
Besides, Michel would never turn on you. He’s the head chef in the most celebrated
restaurant on the North Carolina coast and you own the place.”

Gesturing around the desserterie, which was filled with Oyster Bay’s most influential
townsfolk along with a dozen journalists and television personalities from out of
state, Olivia shrugged. “The Boot Top can’t compete with an establishment serving
every guest a dark chocolate shopping bag filled with white chocolate mousse. And
did you see what Shelley used as a garnish? Sugared raspberries and a Decadence business
card made of fondant. Incredible.”

“No, you probably can’t compete with that. I guess you should be happy that Shelley
doesn’t serve seafood or the Bayside Crab House would be in trouble too.”

“Speaking of the Crab House, I should pick up some treats for my niece. I saw some
starfish lollipops on the counter. Each one is made of raspberry-filled chocolate
and costs more than an entire Happy Meal, but she’s worth it.”