01 -
First things first, get those peaches ready. Peel and slice them into roughly 1/2-inch thick wedges. I find blanching them in boiling water for about 30 seconds, then plunging them into ice water, makes peeling a breeze. Toss them gently in a large bowl with the granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Give it a good mix, but don't smash the peaches, we want nice pieces! This is where you start to smell the magic happening, honestly.
02 -
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, both sugars, oats, and a pinch of salt. Now, for the fun part: cut in the cold, cubed butter. You can use a pastry blender, your fingertips, or even a food processor (pulse just a few times!). I usually just use my fingers because I love the feel of it, and it helps me avoid overmixing. You're looking for a coarse, crumbly mixture, like wet sand, with some pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. This is where I almost always get flour everywhere, but it's worth it!
03 -
Pour the peach filling into a 9-inch pie dish. Make sure it's spread out evenly. Then, generously sprinkle that beautiful crumble topping all over the peaches. Don't press it down too much; we want that airy, crumbly texture to develop. It should look rustic and inviting, like something straight out of a farmhouse kitchen, even if your kitchen is, well, mine.
04 -
Pop the pie into a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for about 45-55 minutes. You'll know it's ready when the crumble is golden brown and the peach filling is bubbling invitingly around the edges. Oh, the smell! Your kitchen will smell absolutely heavenly. If the crumble starts to get too dark, you can loosely tent it with foil, a trick I learned after burning one too many crusts.
05 -
This is the hardest part, I swear. Once it's out of the oven, let the Classic Peach Crumble Pie cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes, or even an hour. This lets the filling set properly. I know, I know, it’s tempting to dig in right away, but resist! A slightly warm pie is a dream, but a molten hot one is just… messy. I’ve made that mistake more times than I care to admit.
06 -
Once it's cooled a bit, slice into your magnificent Classic Peach Crumble Pie! It should be beautifully bubbly and fragrant. I love serving it slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream. The contrast of warm pie and cold cream? *Chef's kiss*. This is the moment all that kitchen chaos pays off.