A New Favorite Dessert
Anyway, a week or so went by and she invited me over to help make Apple Hand Pies. Oh yes, without hesitation, I was at her house by 9 AM the next morning. We made the pies a little differently by filling and folding them corner to corner, then crimping. We ended up with 16 of these wonderful pies!
She had the filling all ready to go, and said she used 2 apples, chopped up with cinnamon, a little nutmeg and sugar. My brain immediately started thinking of adding caramel, walnuts, raisins...well, you get the picture. Heehee.
This recipe is from the King Arthur Baking Company, and let me tell you, that site has a lot of tasty looking food on it. I encourage all my fellow "foodies" to take a look!
Invite a friend over to make these with you, they are so fun to do together!
INGREDIENTS:
Pastry:
2 cups unbleached flour
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
16 Tbsp. butter, cold (2 sticks, cut up)
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
16 Tbsp. butter, cold (2 sticks, cut up)
1/2 cup sour cream
How to Make the Pastry:
Whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder. Add the butter, working it in to make a coarse/crumbly mixture. Leave most of the butter in larger, pea-sized pieces.
Add the sour cream, and stir until the mixture starts to come together in chunks. Turn out onto a floured work surface and bring it together with a few quick kneads.
Pat the dough into a rough log and roll into an 8"x 10" rectangle. Dust both sides of the dough with flour. Then starting with the shorter end, fold it in three...like a business letter.
Flip the dough over, give it a 90 degree turn on your work surface and roll it again into an 8"x 10 rectangle. Fold it in three again.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes before using.
Filling:
2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
2 Tbsp. corn starch or 1 Tbsp. Instant ClearJel
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
To Make the Filling: (This can be made the day before)
If you're using fresh berries, rinse and drain well. Place fresh or frozen berries inn a saucepan. Whisk the cornstarch with the sugar, and pour over the berries. Add the salt and lemon juice, stirring to combing.
Place the saucepan on a burner set to medium-high and cook, stirring, until the small amount of liquid in the bottom of the pan comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture starts to thicken...about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked berries to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. You can make the filling ahead of time, and refrigerate until you're ready to use it.
Preheat oven to 425'F; place a rack on the middle shelf. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
To Assemble the Pies:
Roll dough into a 14"x14" square. With a straight edge and pastry wheel, or a 3 1/2" square cutter, cut out sixteen 3 1/2" squares.
Divide the fill among eight of the squares, using about a heaping tablespoon for each; a slightly heaped tablespoon cookie scoop works well here. Brush some of the beaten egg along the edges of each filled square.
Use a knife to cut a vent into each of remaining eight squares; or use a decorative cutter of your choice.
Top each filled square with a vented square and press along the edges with the tines of a fork to seal.
Brush the top of each pie with the remaining beaten egg, and sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Transfer the pies to the prepared baking sheet . (If at any time during this process the pies become sticky and hard to work with, simply refrigerate them for about 20 minutes or until firm.)
Bake the pies for 18-20 minutes, until they are a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven and let cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Store pies, lightly wrapped, at room temperature for a couple of days; freeze for longer storage.
Yields: 8 delicious hand pies!
Be encouraged!
"You are chosen and loved" Ephesians 1:4
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