Not Pie, Not Buckle, It's Peaches-and-Cream Crisp

Inspired by dinner at a friend’s house this past weekend, and some jars of peaches that were slowly expiring in the back of my pantry, I set out to build my own recipe for a peaches and cream crisp.

Let’s be clear, I LOVE pie, but I HATE making pie crust. It’s too fiddly. I’m a cook, not a baker, I’m just not great at the perfection that baked goods require. Crisp is right up my alley: most of the elements I love about pie, but way more forgiving for a lazy home cook.

This crisp bakes in a deep dish pie pan and layers a stovetop almond pastry cream and canned peach slices under a crunchy oat crumble.

Snapshot

• Implements: deep-dish pie plate, 9 1/2 to 10 inches; heavy bottom pot to make pastry cream; colander to drain peaches; other standard baking gear
• Oven: 350 F / 175 C

Ingredients

Crumble topping

• 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats (150 g)
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (80 g)
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar (145 g)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 1 stick (8 Tbsp) cold butter, cut in small cubes (115 g)

Fruit

• 5 cups canned sliced peaches, very well drained and patted dry
• Optional juice insurance: 1-3 tsp cornstarch (toss with peaches if the slices seem very juicy)

Pastry-cream custard (about 2 cups)

• 2 cups whole milk (or 1 1/2 cups milk + 1/1 cup half‑and‑half)
• 4 large egg yolks
• 6 Tbsp (~80 g) granulated sugar, halved
• 4 Tbsp (~30 g) cornstarch (use 5 Tbsp / ~40 g for an extra-firm set)
• Pinch Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 2 tsp vanilla paste
• 1 1/2 Tbsp (22 g) unsalted butter
• Optional flavor boosts (choose one):
  • 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest, or
  • Reduce 1/2 cup reserved peach syrup to 2-3 Tbsp and whisk in off-heat; if you do this, reduce sugar by 1-2 Tbsp (12-25 g)

Method

1. Heat the oven; prep a sheet pan. Heat to 350 F / 175 C with a rack in the center. Set the pie plate on a rimmed sheet pan (just in case).
2. Mix the crumble, then pre-toast (crispiest result). Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Cut in the cold butter with fingers or a pastry blender until you have moist, clumpy crumbs. Spread on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet and pre-bake 8-10 minutes until just beginning to color. Set aside.
3. Prep the peaches. Drain in a colander for 10 minutes, then pat dry (You can prep your pastry cream while these drain and dry). If they seem quite juicy even after draining and patting dry, toss with the optional 1-3 tsp cornstarch.
4. Make the pastry cream.
   • Reduce your peach syrup before beginning this step, if using.
   • In a bowl, whisk yolks, half the sugar, cornstarch, and pinch of salt until smooth.
   • Heat the milk with the remaining sugar until steaming (not boiling).
   • Temper: Slowly whisk the hot milk into the yolk mixture, then return everything to the pot.
   • Cook over medium low, whisking constantly, until thick and glossy; let it bubble for 30-60 seconds to fully activate the starch.
   • Take the pot off heat and let the custard stand 2–3 minutes until it’s no longer steaming hard. Then whisk in butter and vanilla (and zest/reduced syrup/almond extract, if using). If it looks split, immersion‑blend 10–20 seconds with 1–3 Tbsp cold milk to re‑emulsify.
5. Combine and fill. Fold the peaches into the hot pastry cream. Spoon into the deep-dish pie plate, leaving about 1/2 inch headspace.
6. Top and bake. Cover evenly with the pre‑toasted crumble. Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes, then rotate. Continue at 350°F until the topping deepens and you start to see bubbles at the edges. If there are no edge bubbles by 30–35 minutes, loosely tent with foil and raise to 375°F for 10–15 minutes. Finish uncovered for 5 minutes to re‑crisp the topping.

Cover evenly with the pre-toasted crumble. Bake at 350 F until the topping is deep golden and the custard bubbles at the edges—about 22-28 minutes. 7. Set and serve. Cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes so the custard firms to a sliceable, spoon-able pastry cream texture. Serve warm or room temp. Vanilla ice cream or lightly sweetened whipped cream is excellent here.

Notes, swaps, and guardrails

Sweetness tuning

• The written sugar level is balanced for extra-light syrup. If you reduce some syrup and add it to the custard, drop the sugar by 1-2 Tbsp as noted.

Crispness insurance

• Pre-toasting the crumbs is the single best move for keeping crunch over a creamy filling.
• Draining and patting the peaches dry is the other big win.

Custard split‑prevention

• Use whole milk (or milk + a little half‑and‑half) as the base; save heavy cream for serving. • Add butter and extracts off heat after a 2–3 minute cool‑down. • If it ever looks broken, immersion‑blend briefly with 1–3 Tbsp cold milk.

Texture control

• Want a firmer, more sliceable set? Use 5 Tbsp (40 g) cornstarch in the custard or whisk 2 oz (56 g) room-temp cream cheese into the hot pastry cream off heat.
• Prefer softer or saucier? Stick with 4 Tbsp (32 g) cornstarch and skip the cream cheese.

Make-ahead

• The crumble can be mixed and chilled 24-48 hours ahead; pre-toast right before assembly.
• Pastry cream can be made up to 1 day ahead: press plastic wrap directly on the surface, chill, then re-warm gently on low heat with a splash of milk, whisking smooth, before folding in fruit.

Storage and reheat

• Refrigerate leftovers, covered, for up to 3 days. Re-crisp the top at 325 F / 165 C for 10-12 minutes; the custard will warm through without breaking.

Flavor options

• A whisper of almond extract (1/2 tsp) plays well with peaches.
• Add cardamom (1/8 tsp) with the cinnamon for a cozy bakery vibe.

Made with ❤️ and OpenAI.