Gluten-Free Peaches and Cream Pie

Around here, summertime = fresh peaches.  I try each year to consume as much of this sweet, juicy fruit as humanly possible before the season is over.  I put them on my cereal, in my salads, eat them whole (of course) and naturally, I bake with them!

Initially, I thought about creating a gluten-free recipe for a traditional peach pie.  But, it almost felt like a sacrilege to cook these beauties down into mush when they were bursting with so much ripe flavor.   You can make a pretty mean pie with frozen peaches any time of year.  So, I decided to base this "peaches and cream pie" on a sort of combination between a fresh fruit tart and a banana cream pie.

The best part of this pie is that the only thing you actually have to bake is the graham cracker crust, which comes together in a snap!  And let's face it: who really wants their oven on for hours in this incredible heat?

I'll be honest though: there's a lot going on here.  Altogether, you'll need a good couple of hours to make this pie.  First, there's the crust.  You top that with sliced fresh peaches, then a cream cheese custard and a layer of whipped cream and finally, there's a pureed fresh peach compote on top.  I personally think each of the components is incredibly yummy, and I'm already thinking of dozens of other things you could do with each one.  But trust me: when the whole thing comes together, it's a showstopper.

I was a bit worried about finding gluten-free graham crackers for the crust (I hadn't made this type of crust yet since going gluten-free), but they were readily available in both my local supermarket and Whole Foods.  They even had a pre-made graham cracker crust in the Whole Foods, but a homemade crust just can't be beat.  If you can't find GF grahams where you are, Gluten Free on a Shoestring has a recipe that looks very promising!  

Once assembled, the whole thing needs to chill and set for at least an hour or two, but I really think it tastes the best the next day.  Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 2 cups crushed gluten-free graham crackers (either blitzed in a food processor, or crushed with a rolling pin inside a ziplock bag - they should look like the picture above)
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter

For the custard:

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose gluten-free flour blend
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 cup milk
• 6 ounces cream cheese, softened

For the compote:

• 2 peaches, peeled, pitted and diced
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

For the whipped cream:

• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the filling:

• 2 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced thin

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9-inch glass pie plate.
2. Make the crust:  stir together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.  Pour the melted butter over the mixture and stir to combine.
3. Press the crust mixture firmly into the pie plate, using your knuckles or the bottom of a glass to ensure an even layer on the bottom and the sides.
4. Chill the pie crust in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes, then bake for 10 minutes and set aside to cool.  Now you can turn off your oven!
5. Make the custard: stir together the sugar, flour and cornstarch in a small bowl.  Add in the egg yolks, and stir to combine, until the sugar starts to dissolve.  
6. Heat the milk in a small saucepan on the stove, until just beginning to gently boil.  Remove from the heat and very slowly whisk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly to avoid the eggs scrambling.
7. Return the whole mixture to the saucepan and cook on very low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens.  It will take about 10 to 15 minutes of nothing and then suddenly, you'll have custard! 
8. Refrigerate the custard until cool, while you make the compote and whipped cream: at least half an hour.  Once cool, mix the softened cream cheese into the custard until smooth.  Return to the refrigerator until ready to use.  
9. Make the compote: put the diced peaches, water, sugar and cinnamon in a small saucepan.  Cook on low heat, stirring frequently, until a slightly thickened syrup forms: about 20 minutes.
10. Refrigerate the compote until room temperature, then blend in food processor or blender until it becomes a smooth sauce.  Return to the refrigerator until ready to use.
11. Make the whipped cream: beat the cream and vanilla together with an electric mixer on high speed until stiffened and fluffy.  It should hold on to a spoon turned upside down.
12. Assemble the pie: arrange the sliced peaches in the bottom of the crust.  Pour the custard on top of the peaches and smooth with a spatula.  Then, spread a generous layer of whipped cream on top of the custard.  Finally, carefully spoon the compote on top of the whipped cream and spread evenly with a spatula.
13. Chill the entire pie for at least two hours, and enjoy!