I made a pie! From scratch! By myself!
"Make a pie" was on my "13 things in 2013" list. I didn't do it. So I added it to the "14 things in 2014" list. And I kept not making pies.
Pie is intimidating. Scratch that. Pie CRUST is intimidating.
But when a basket of almost-too-ripe peaches stared me down on the counter yesterday, I knew I had to take action.
So with the help of my favourite online bakers and real-world friend Karen, I dove in.
For a wedding gift, Karen gave us a gorgeous illustrated recipe for vodka pie crust.
Lovely, right? Click on image for large version.
I swear this was the flakiest, most crave-worthy crust I've ever tasted. Pure pastry goodness. And I didn't even know what I was doing! No-fail, people. You can do it, too.
With the dough made and cooling in the fridge, I turned to Smitten Kitchen for a filling recipe.
(Here you go.)
I stuck with Smitten Kitchen for dough-roll-out tips, then followed Joy the Baker's top-crust advice and used an egg wash followed by some serious cinnamon-sugar sprinkling.
And then I went BACK to Smitten Kitchen for baking temps and times.
Phew.
What did the pioneers do without food bloggers and a million open tabs?
So thanks, Karen, Smitten Kitchen and Joy the Baker. Y'all are the best. Everything turned out freakin' delicious.
Arguably the best thing I've ever made. Or at least the thing I'm most proud of making.
Have any recipes been intimidating you lately?