The first time I tried to make this Peach, Apricot and Cherry Pie, part of the lattice hadn’t browned. So, I popped it back into the oven, forgot to set the timer, and burned it black.

Pie requires attention.

Yesterday, I hit the road with my ingredients and my rolling pin for a do-over at my grandmother’s house. I figured she could help me figure out the whole lattice-browning issue and avert another disaster.

While the dough was chilling, I said, “Mommaw, when I baked the first pie, the bottom strips were too light. What do I need to do this time?”

She said, “I’ve had that problem.”

“What did you do?”

“Put some ice cream on it.”

Peach, Apricot and Cherry Pie

Adapted from Martha Stewart’s “Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook”

• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• Pate Brisée (recipe below)
• 1 pound fresh, ripe peaches, pitted and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick wedges
• 1 pound fresh, ripe apricots, pitted and sliced into sixths
• 1 pound fresh sweet cherries (such as Bing), stemmed, pitted, and halved
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tablespoons)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• Sanding sugar (or granulated sugar), for sprinkling

1. On a piece of parchment generously dusted with flour, roll out one disk of dough to a 12-inch round. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off excess flour; fit dough into a 9-inch glass pie plate, pressing it into the edges. Trim dough to a 1/2-inch overhang all around. Roll out remaining disk of dough in the same manner; transfer (on parchment) to a baking sheet. Chill pie shell and dough until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, toss together peaches, apricots and cherries. Add the granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt and lemon juice; toss to combine. Remove baking sheet from the refrigerator; transfer dough to a clean work surface. Using a pastry cutter (preferably fluted) or sharp knife, cut dough into 3/4- to 1-inch-wide strips.
3. Spoon the fruit mixture and any juices into the chilled pie shell, mounding fruit slightly in the center. Dot with butter. Brush the rim of the pie shell with water. Weave a tight lattice of dough strips on top of the fruit. Using kitchen scissors, trim dough strips to a 1/2-inch overhang; gently press top and bottom pieces together to seal. Fold edges over or under, and crimp edge as desired.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and cream; brush on lattice and edge of pie shell, being careful not to let it pool. Generously sprinkle entire surface with sanding sugar. Freeze or refrigerate pie until firm, about 30 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degree F, with the rack in the lower third.
6. Place pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until the crust begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue baking, rotating sheet halfway through, until the crust is deep golden brown and the juice are bubbling and have thickened, 40 to 50 minutes later. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The pie is best eaten the same day it is baked, but it can be kept at room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.

Pate Brisée

Makes enough for one double-crust or two single-crust 9-inch pies.

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup ice water, plus more if needed

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour and salt; pulse to combine. Add the butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds. (To mix by hand, combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry blender.)
2. With the machine running, add the ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into flattened disks. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight. The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.

[ad name=”space”]