Peach

Gluten-Free (and Grain-Free) Boysenberry Peach Pie

August 12, 2013

Every week, Shauna Ahern of Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef -- and Gluten-Free Girl Everyday -- will be sharing smart tips and smarter recipes that will please even the most devout gluten-eaters among us. Come one, come all -- we're going flourless. 

Today: Shauna shows us why gluten-free pie crust may be even better.

Gluten-Free Peach Pie from Food52

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People are easily astounded by pie. And why wouldn't they be? It's a thing of beauty, a good pie. When you make it from scratch, you are sure to impress. But so many people are frightened of pie dough -- you shouldn't be, and here's why. Make your own crust, and people will feel really loved. They might think you're kind of genius. And, if you do it grain-free, it'll be easier than ever.

Pie dough made with gluten becomes tough easily -- the more you work with it, the more you're in danger of bypassing the flakiness you're looking for. Make a gluten-free pie dough, and you can play with it without fear. If some of the dough sticks to the parchment paper and comes off from the rest of the dough, no problem. Just pat it into the pan and all will be well. 

Gluten-Free Peach Pie from Food52

After all, the secret to a flaky pie crust is cold: cold butter, cold water, and even cold flours. Work fast, and you won't need gluten. 

Grain-Free Boysenberry Peach Pie

Makes 1 double crust 9-inch pie

For the crust:
250 grams finely ground almond flour
100 grams buckwheat flour 
70 grams arrowroot powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
200 grams (14 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 to 1/2 cup ice-cold water

For the filling:
4 cups peach slices, peeled
1 cup ripe boysenberries
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup coconut sugar 
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

See the full recipe (and save and print it) here.

Photos by Shauna Ahern

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

  • meredith
    meredith
  • mlledaffodil
    mlledaffodil
Shauna writes about food. Danny cooks it. We grow excited every Saturday morning to go to the farmers' market. This time of year, a Billy Allstot tomato is enough to make us look like goons at the stand, jumping up and down with excitement. We will eat one slice with sea salt, standing over the sink. Another goes to our baby daughter. The rest might go into the smoker to make smoked tomato salsa, or thrown together with watermelon and good olive oil for a watermelon gazpacho, or stacked with smoked salmon and drizzled with horseradish sour cream. Every day is new. I have no idea what we're having for dinner tonight. But I'm sure interested to find out.

2 Comments

meredith July 30, 2014
I really appreciate gluten-free recipes that do NOT include rice flours, as I have a dear friend with Celiac who has an allergy to rice as well. LOVE Shauna's recipes!
 
mlledaffodil September 16, 2013
I so appreciate that you have added this column with a real gf pro behind it. Shauna's explanations of the science and taste behind the recipes is what I find useful so I can work with gf flours on my own -- while letting her save me from some of the experimentation mistakes... (I wish I could transport her to the gf-less California desert for a weekend of gf baking). I hope that in the future you will add some vegan consideration to your recipe -- so many celiacs and food sensitives are either vegan or unable to eat dairy or egg! Obviously I can sub margarine for butter here, but I would love Shauna's opinion about the matching the various vegan options with gf options -- i.e., do certain gf flours work better with oil, margarine, solidified oils? And/or maybe occasional throw us vegans a naturally vegan gf recipe or three?