Individual Summer Pies

With a basket full with plenty of ripe peaches, sweet strawberries and deep hued cherries, I knew I just couldn’t let the fruit that were a bit past their fresh eating days go to waste. With my favorite pate brisee {pie dough} on hand, pie was a dessert I could manage baking up sitting down. I didn’t just want to make a hearty fruit pie by combining the different fruits together. I wanted to highlight each signature flavor. My collection of mason jars, meant I had the perfect containers for individual pies that would satisfy any fruit pie craving. 

I like to let my fruit pie fillings sit for at least five minutes, so that the flavors and natural juices develop more intensely. I used a blend of the ripest white nectarines and peaches on hand, creating a naturally sweet pie topped with equally decadent crunchy almond crumble, which I need to place onto everything. My baking sheets have definitely seen better days, considering they’re the first set I bought. The random patterned top on the strawberry pies, came from a piece of dough not large enough for much else. When desserts are in mini form, anything goes with design, at least I think so. I’m quite a sucker for a fresh peach pie, but after this summer, my love of cherries has gone to another level, mostly in part for this simple syrup, which give these pies an intenser cherry flavor. Heated up with a scoop of ice cream, these individual pies are sure to be a crowd pleaser at parties or eaten solo on a brisk summer night.

Peach Almond Crumble Pies

Ingredients {Makes 3, 3″ pies}

One Recipe – Pate Brisee {one recipe will make about 9, 3″ pies}

2 pounds {about 2 medium} – Peaches {chopped}

1/3 cup – Dark Brown Sugar {packed}

2 tablespoons – Cornstarch

2 teaspoon – Fresh Lemon Juice

Pinch of Salt

Almond Crumble

1/3 cup – Almonds {raw, unsalted}

1/3 cup – Dark Brown Sugar {packed}

Recipe

For the almond crumble, chop the almonds in a food processor until resembles coarse almond meal. Add in the brown sugar, and pulse until combined. Set aside.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter your metal jar lids, making sure the remove the bottoms if they have a rubber strip. Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll pate brisee to 1/8″ thickness, and cut circles 1/4″ larger than your jar lid. Fit dough into buttered lids, leaving an excess overhang. Refrigerate about 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the peaches, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and salt. Let sit until juices thicken slightly {at least 5 minutes}. Divide filling between pie shells. Trim excess dough, and finish the edge. Bake until golden brown, and juices bubble {about 25 to 30 minutes}. Serve warm, or a room temperature.

Strawberry and Lemon Basil Pies

Ingredients {Makes 3, 3″ pies}

8 ounces {about 2 cups} – Strawberries {chopped}

1 tablespoon – Fresh Lemon Basil {finely chopped}

1/2 cup – Sugar

1 tablespoon – Cornstarch

2 teaspoon – Fresh Lemon Juice

Pinch of Salt

Lightly beaten egg

Recipe

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter your metal jar lids, making sure the remove the bottoms if they have a rubber strip. Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll pate brisee to 1/8″ thickness, and cut circles 1/4″ larger than your jar lid. Fit dough into buttered lids, leaving an excess overhang.  Refrigerate about 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon basil, lemon juice and salt. Let sit until juices thicken slightly {at least 5 minutes}. Divide filling between pie shells. Trim excess dough, finish edges, and top with single layer of dough with holes to vent or smaller rounds of dough. Brush with a lightly beaten egg, and sugar. Bake until golden brown, and juices bubble {about 25 to 30 minutes}. Serve warm, or a room temperature.

Cherry Pies

Ingredients {Makes 3, 3″ pies}

1 cup – Fresh Cherries {coarsely chopped}

1/4 cup – Cherry Simple Syrup {recipe here}

1 tablespoon – Cornstarch

Pinch of Salt

Recipe

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter your metal jar lids, making sure the remove the bottoms if they have a rubber strip. Place onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll pate brisee to 1/8″ thickness, and cut circles 1/4″ larger than your jar lid. Fit dough into buttered lids, leaving an excess overhang.  Refrigerate about 15 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the cherries, simple syrup, cornstarch and salt. Let sit until juices thicken slightly {at least 5 minutes}. Divide filling between pie shells. Trim excess dough, and finish edges. Bake until golden brown, and juices bubble {about 25 to 30 minutes}. Serve warm, or a room temperature.