Peach Melba Pie

Bake the graham cracker crust for 8-10 minutes at 350 degrees F, just till slightly toasty. Cool.

Mix the raspberries, sugar, and cornstarch together in a saucepan (not over heat), set aside and let them macerate while you work on the peach part (it’s important to let them sit for a bit with the sugar so they develop some juice.)

In a saucepan, combine the mashed peaches, sugar, and gelatin. Allow to sit for several minutes to dissolve the gelatin. Then cook on medium-high heat, stirring frequently, just till it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and allow to cool in the ‘fridge just till it’s cool and starts to thicken.

Meanwhile, mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and peach Schnapps together in a medium sized bowl.

In a separate bowl, beat 1 cup of heavy cream till firm peaks form. If the peach mixture isn’t quite ready, refrigerate the cream till you’re ready to use it. Once the peach mixture is cool and slightly thickened, pour it into the cream cheese mixture and mix thoroughly with a mixer. Then fold in the whipped cream. Spread into the graham cracker crust and refrigerate.

Stir the raspberry mixture to make sure the cornstarch and sugar are well mixed. Put the pan on the stove on medium-high heat, bring to a boil and cook about 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, till thickened and clear.

Allow to cool (in the ‘fridge), then spread over the top of the peach mixture, not quite to the edges of the pie (you want to see a little of that peach part!). If you don’t like raspberry seeds, you can pour the hot mixture through a sieve into a bowl, then let it cool. Allow the pie to setup for a couple of hours before garnishing and serving.

Garnish with sweetened whipped cream: Whip 1 cup heavy cream, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon of vanilla to firm peaks. Sprinkle on fresh raspberries, and maybe a few sprigs of fresh mint, if you wish.

Notes: I used frozen peaches to test this recipe; and while they worked just fine, I think really ripe fresh peaches would probably have more flavor (just add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to the peach mixture to keep the peaches from browning). Also, you could substitute nectarines. I also think 8 ounces (instead of 4) of cream cheese would be good provided that your peaches have enough flavor to compliment the cheese. It’s really going to depend on the quality and flavor of the peaches though – you make the call!