The Husband-Pleasing Peach Dessert

I'm not really certain what to call this recipe.

Deep-Dish Pie?  Cobbler?  Pie-bbler?  Peach Something-or-Other?

Anyway, here's how it all began:
First, a confession.  I can't make a decent Peach Pie to save my life.  I've tried recipe after recipe after recipe after recipe (well, you get the point).  Each, to the very last one, turns out a watery, soggy mess with a goopy, under-done bottom crust and a too-done top crust.

And I am determined to make a decent Peach dessert.

My dear husband has gleaning privileges in his client's fields and has been blessing me with a 3-gallon bucket of Peaches every Thursday.  And every Friday I have been working on creating and perfecting a Peach Dessert that is worthy to be set on the table and not fed to the green-waste can (we don't have a dog).

This takes a few steps but I believe each one is valuable in creating a Dessert that is a pleasure to serve.  So, without further ado, here is the recipe.  You'll have to tell me what to call it.


For the Peach Filling:
16 - 18  Peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
1/2  Cup  Cornstarch
Dash  Nutmeg (and a very small dash at that; too much and it will be inedible)
1/2 - 1  teaspoon  Almond Extract (I am not fond of Almond Extract and I like 1/2 tsp.  If your family enjoys this flavor, use 1 tsp.  Almond flavoring brings out the Peach flavor--they are 'cousins,' you know)

For the Crumb Crust:
3  Cups  Flour
3/4  Cup  Cold Butter, diced
3/4  Cup  White Sugar
3/4  teaspoon  Salt
3/4  teaspoon  Cinnamon
3  Tablespoons  Cold Water

Place the Peaches in an 8-quart pan.  Cook on medium-high for about 10 minutes, or until the Peaches release their juice, stirring occasionally.  They will cook down from this

to this

While the Peaches are cooking, prepare the Crumb Crust.  Combine the Flour, Sugar, Salt and Nutmeg.  Cut in the Butter with a pastry cutter or two forks until it is cut into small lumps, as for pie dough.  Sprinkle with Cold Water until the crust just begins to stick together (it will look like an incomplete pie crust).

By now the Peaches should have released the majority of their juices.  Carefully spoon the Peaches into a colander which has been set in another pan and allow to continue to drain.  DO NOT discard any Peach Juice!  Measure the juice in your cooking pan; it should measure 2 cups (if not, cook the Peaches for a few minutes longer).



Return this 2 Cups Peach Juice to your cooking pan.  Spoon the cooked Peaches in to a greased 9x13 pan; measure the juice which has continued to drain from the colander.  It should measure about 1/2 Cup; if not, add water to make 1/2 Cup of Liquid.  Stir the Cornstarch into this 1/2 Cup Juice and add it to the Juice in the cooking pan.  Cook together over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until it turns 'clear' and starts to bubble, about 5 minutes.  (You may think this looks too thick; it isn't.  The Peaches will release more juice while baking and thin it down.)  Spoon the thickened cooked juice over the Peaches in the prepared pan, top with Crust crumbs. 

Bake at 325* for 40 minutes.  Allow to cool to room temperature, then invite 15 of your best friends to enjoy this with you.  Serves 16.  Can also be baked in 2 9-inch pie plates with a bottom pie crust.

So.  What would you call this dessert?

I think I'll call it the Husband-Pleasing Peach Cobbler.