“Each peach pear plum, I spy Tom Thumb!”
As I imagined stone fruit rosettes atop this vanilla custard filled pie, I sang to myself the old nursery rhyme.
I figured it was appropriate, as is this pie – both the poetic gesture and stone fruits have always had a special place in my heart.
Today they work together to form a Vanilla Custard Stone Fruit Pie.

Vanilla Custard Stone Fruit Pie

Crust:
8 Tbs. ice cold butter, cubed into 1/2″ squares
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 large egg
1 Tbs. apple cider vinegar
1 pinch salt
2-3 Tbs. ice cold water

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Pulse all the ingredients in a food processor until beady and crumbly.
Transfer to a flour dusted parchment paper. Use your hands and form into a disc.
Then, with a flour dusted rolling pin, roll out the disc into a pie crust.
Transfer to a pie plate, fill with pie weights, and bake for about 35 minutes, until golden brown.
Allow to cool.

Vanilla Custard Filling:
3 large egg yolks
3 cups whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. sea salt
3/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Beat egg yolks in medium bowl or glass measure and gradually stir in the milk until blended.
Mix the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in large heavy saucepan. Gradually stir in a small amount of the milk mixture, making a smooth paste. Gradually stir in remaining milk mixture until blended. 
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and comes to a boil, about 20 to 25 minutes. Boil and stir for 1 minute, then remove from heat immediately.

Set the pan in larger pan of ice water to cool quickly. Stir occasionally and gently for a few minutes to speed the cooling process. Stir in the vanilla.
Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour.

Assembly:
1 large peach, very thinly sliced
1 large pear, very thinly sliced

Pour the chilled vanilla custard filling into the cooled pie crust
Decorate with paper thin slices of stone fruit, forming rosettes, if desired.