Peach Raspberry Top-Crust Pies - recipesfrozen-butter pastry dough

Method

• Divide dough in half.
• On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin roll out 1 piece of dough 1/4 inch thick (about a 15-inch round), keeping remaining piece of dough chilled.
• Transfer round to a large baking sheet and chill, covered.
• Roll out and chill remaining dough in same manner and stack it on top of first round.
• Chill pastry rounds, loosely covered with plastic wrap, 15 minutes.
• Cut an X in blossom end of each peach.
• Have ready a large bowl of ice and cold water.
• Fill a 5-quart kettle three fourths full with water and bring to a boil.
• Working in batches, blanch peaches 15 seconds and transfer with a slotted spoon to ice water.
• Slip skins from peaches and, working over a large bowl to catch the juices, cut peaches into 1/2-inch-thick wedges.
• Gently toss peaches with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and raspberries until combined well.
• With a spoon divide filling between two 9-inch (1-quart) glass pie plates, mounding fruit.
• Juice should reach no higher than 1/4 inch below rim of each pie plate.
• With spoon remove excess juice from pie plates and discard.
• In a small bowl whisk eggs and evenly brush onto tops and undersides of pie plate rims.
• Cover each pie with a pastry round and trim pastry with scissors, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang and, if desired, reserving scraps for decorations.
• Brush undersides of overhang with some egg and press overhang onto and under rims of pie plates to seal.
• Chill pies until pastry is firm, about 20 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 425F.
• On a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin roll out reserved pastry scraps 1/4 inch thick and with a sharp small knife cut out 2 decorations (such as the family initial), transferring to a plate.
• Chill decorations 15 minutes.
• Line 2 jelly-roll pans with foil.
• Brush crusts evenly with some egg and arrange decorations in centers, pressing lightly to adhere.
• With a sharp knife cut three 3/4-inch-long slits on top of each pie to form steam vents.
• Brush decorations with some egg and transfer pies to jelly-roll pans (to catch drips).
• Bake pies in upper and lower thirds of oven, staggering pans if possible on oven racks and switching position of pans halfway through baking, about 1 to 1 1/4 hours total, or until pastry is golden brown and cooked through.
• (If pastry gets too brown too quickly, tent pies with foil).
• Let pies stand on racks to set juices at least 1 1/2 hours before serving.
• Pies may be made 1 day ahead and kept, loosely covered, at room temperature.
• If desired, reheat pies, uncovered, in a 350F.
• oven.