Chilled Nectarine-Yogurt Pie
Folding fruit into honey-sweetened yogurt yields a pie filling that is cool and tangy—a perfect dessert for a hot summer night. Topping the filling with more fruit makes the pie pretty enough to tote to a potluck. If you like, substitute apricots, peaches or cherries for the nectarines.
Ingredients:
For the crust:
- 1/2 cup finely chopped whole raw almonds
- 1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 2 Tbs. firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
- 3 Tbs. water
- 1 Tbs. (1 package) unflavored gelatin
- 1 1/4 cups plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tsp. pure almond extract
- 1 lb. firm but ripe nectarines, pitted and finely chopped
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
- Thinly sliced nectarines and/or blueberries for garnish
- Small fresh mint leaves for garnish
Directions:
Preheat an oven to 350°F.
To make the crust, in a food processor, combine the almonds, graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar and salt. Pulse just until the nuts and cracker crumbs are finely and uniformly ground. Do not overprocess or the almonds will turn pasty. Pour in the melted butter and pulse just to combine. Press the crumb mixture evenly onto the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Bake until lightly browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the pie dish to a wire rack and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the filling: Pour the water into a small heatproof bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over the top. Let soften for 3 to 5 minutes.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt, honey and almond extract. Gently stir in the chopped nectarines. Set aside.
Place the bowl holding the softened gelatin over but not touching simmering water in a small saucepan and stir until the gelatin dissolves. Stir the gelatin mixture into the yogurt mixture.
Pour the cream into a chilled bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream on medium speed until soft peaks form. Using a spatula, gently fold the whipped cream into the yogurt mixture until no streaks remain. Pour the filling into the cooled piecrust and refrigerate until well chilled and set, at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours.
When ready to serve, arrange the nectarine slices and/or blueberries in an attractive pattern on top of the pie. Garnish with the mint, cut into wedges and serve cold. Serves 8 to 10.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Good Food to Share, by Sara Kate Gillingham-Ryan (Weldon Owen, 2010).