Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold Cookbook: A Love Story Told Through 150 Recipes (Fool's Gold #12.1)

Peach Pie

You’ll be the talk of the town when you bring this luscious—and gorgeous—

peach pie to the church social or your company picnic.

Serves 10

Double crust

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar, plus additional for sprinkling on crust

Pinch of salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes

¼–½ cup cold water, as needed

Milk, for baking

Granulated sugar, for baking

Filling

6 large, ripe peaches, peeled and thinly sliced

⅓ cup granulated sugar

⅓ cup brown sugar

Pinch of ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

Pinch of salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

TIP: For even baking, use an all-glass pie plate. Its angled sides prevent crusts from sliding down and it neatly fits store-bought crusts as well.

For crust:

1. In a food processor, pulse flour, sugar and salt until combined. Add butter; pulse until mixture resembles wet sand. Slowly add cold water, a little at a time, just until dough comes together into a craggy mass. Turn dough out onto a floured countertop; divide dough in half. Form each half into a thick disk; wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.

2. Remove dough from the refrigerator about 20 minutes before rolling out. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out 1 disk on a lightly floured countertop to a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a glass pie tin. Press dough to fit the tin; flute edges. Refrigerate the crust in the pie tin while making the filling.

For filling:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, combine peaches, both sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cornstarch until evenly coated.

2. Remove crust from refrigerator; spread filling into the chilled crust. Using the same method as in step 2 of crust directions, roll out the second crust to a 12-inch round. Cut the round into 1-inch strips. Place half the strips in one direction over the filling, spaced evenly apart. Place the remaining strips going the other direction, weaving them under and over the first set of strips to make a lattice. The strips should stop at the top crimped edges, not go over them. Brush the lattice and crust edges with milk and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

3. Place the pie on a baking sheet; bake 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F; bake 45 minutes, until crust is browned and fruit is bubbling. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Let the pie cool at least 2 hours, for filling to set, before serving.

TIP: For a special sparkly finish, sprinkle the top of the pie with large-grained, or sanding, sugar before baking.

SPRING

SPRING

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Do you really need another chocolate chip cookie recipe? You do if you’ve been searching for a cookie that’s perfectly crisp

around the edges, yet rich and chewy in the middle.

Makes about 32

4 cups all-purpose flour

1¼ teaspoons baking soda

1½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1¼ cups (2½ sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1¼ cups light-brown sugar

1 cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

3½ cups (18 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until blended.

2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed, cream butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low, add dry ingredients and beat just until blended. Remove from mixer; fold in chips. Cover bowl and refrigerate 24 hours, or up to 72 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking pads. Drop dough in golf ball–sized mounds onto prepared sheets. Press down on balls with your palm to flatten slightly. Bake, 1 sheet at a time, for 12 minutes, or until golden around the edges but still slightly wet in the middle. Let cool 5 minutes on the pan. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

TIP: Refrigerating the dough for at least 24 hours helps to make the cookie extra-chewy. The dough will feel dry, but that lack of moisture improves the baked texture.

SPRING

Tiny Lemon Cakes

Elegant, sweet and beautiful. Perfect for a tea party or as a hostess gift.

Makes about 20

Cake

1½ cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus additional for pan

¼ teaspoon baking powder

Pinch of salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, plus additional for greasing pan

1½ cups granulated sugar

3 large eggs

½ cup sour cream

¼ teaspoon pure lemon extract

1 tablespoon lemon peel, grated

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Glaze and decoration

1 cup powdered sugar

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Silver dragees

For cake: