Sour Cream Peach Pie

This wonderful recipe comes from the friendly folks at King Arthur -- the flour people.  After trying it and then reporting on it at a favorite foodie forum it was soon tried by many others and has since wound up in the forum's "Hall of Fame."  After some small modifications to accommodate family preferences this is the recipe I prepared -- it's one guaranteed to "impress your friends."

In a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour and salt. Add the remaining ingredients and whisk together well. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, or the time it takes to peel and dice the peaches. Whisk again just before pouring the custard into the pie shell. (This resting time allows the sugar to dissolve.)

Pour the custard into the pre-baked pie shell, and spoon the peaches on top. Some will sink; that’s OK, they’re supposed to. Use a piecrust shield or aluminum foil to gently cover the outer edge of the crust. Bake the pie in a 400°F oven for 20 minutes. Make the topping while the pie bakes.

If you have a food processor, just place all the topping ingredients except the pecans, into the work bowl and process, using the steel blade, until crumbs begin to form. Add the pecans and pulse a couple of times to combine. After the pie has baked for 20 minutes (it will have just begun to set up around the edges), carefully sprinkle the streusel over the top, leaving the pie crust shield in place. Bake for another 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pie has puffed, the streusel is very slightly browned at the edges, and/or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the pie reads about 160°F. Remove the pie from the oven, and cool it on a rack for about 2 hours before serving. Refrigerate any leftover pie.