Fresh Peach Pie with Heath Bar Crumb Topping

Steps

1. Pastry: Put the butter and shortening on a plate and place in the freezer for 10 minutes.

2. Mix the flour and salt in large bowl. Scatter the butter and shortening over the dry ingredients; toss lightly to mix. Using a pastry blender, cut the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Some pea-size pieces of fat should remain.

3. Sprinkle all of the water over the mixture, drizzling it here and there. Using a large fork, mix the pastry just until it pulls together, then pack the pastry into a ball. Place the dough on a large sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk about 3/4” thick. Wrap in the plastic and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before rolling.

4. When the pastry has chilled, roll it into a 13” circle on a sheet of lightly-floured wax paper. Invert it over a 9” deep-dish pie pan and peel off the paper. Tuck the pastry into the pan, without stretching, then sculpt the overhang into an upstanding ridge. Add a decorative ruffle, if desired (see photos). Place the pie shell in the freezer while you make the filling. Preheat the oven to 400°.

5. Filling: Put the peaches in a large mixing bowl. Mix the sugar and cornstarch in a separate small bowl. Add to the peaches and mix well. Mix in the lemon juice and zest, if using.

6. Scrape the filling into the chilled pie shell and distribute it evenly, smoothing with a spoon. Place on the center oven rack and bake for 20 minutes. As the pie bakes, make the crumb topping.

7. Topping: Combine the Heath bars, flour, pecans, sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the machine repeatedly, until the Heath bars are well chopped. Scatter the butter over the mixture. Pulse the machine again until the Heath bars are finely chopped. Transfer the topping to a large bowl and rub between your fingers to make uniform, gravel-like crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.

8. When the pie has baked for 20 minutes, slide it out of the oven and carefully spread the topping evenly over the pie. “Rake” it around with a fork to spread it evenly. Slide the pie back into the oven and reduce the heat to 375°. Bake the pie another 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is rich golden brown and the juices bubble thickly. Transfer the pie to a rack and cool for at least an hour or two before slicing.