Here is a recipe that you can make with any type of stone fruit or berries (or combination) that you have on hand. I made two different versions; one with Blackberries and one with Peaches. The recipe is for Fruit Hand Pies – cute little enclosed pies that you can eat by holding in your hand. (unless they’re hot, like mine were:) No need for utensils or plates, just a napkin will do.
I had an abundance of fruit and no occasion to serve a dessert, so I made them all up and froze them! The best part about that is I am now able to bake a few at a time whenever the mood strikes me! And, they are only minutes away from being a ready dessert for guests.
The initial creation and assembly is a bit time consuming, but not daunting. You can also section it out by making the dough one day, refrigerating it overnight, and making the filling and assembling the next. Bake them right away or freeze them for another day!
You can make them any size you like depending on your use and invent multiple fillings or combinations with your favorite fruits and spices. I used the peach/ginger combination from the original recipe that I adapted and a blackberry/cinnamon version as well. Both turned out super yummy!
Makes 16-20 hand pies
Pie Crust:
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (12.5 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (optional, leave out if making a savory pie)
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
- 2 to 4 teaspoons cold water
Peach/Ginger Filling:
- 3/4 pounds (3 medium) peaches
- Juice of 1/4 lemon
- 1 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- Pinch salt
- 1 tablespoons flour
- 1/8 cup whole milk or heavy cream
- Turbinado sugar for sprinkling
Blackberry Filling:
- 2 cups blackberries
- Juice of 1/4 lemon
- 1 1/4 tablespoons sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch Salt
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1/8 cup whole milk or heavy cream
- Turbinado sugar for sprinkling
Equipment
- Food processor
- Plastic wrap
- Wax paper
- Rolling pin
Instructions
- Dough:
Prepare Your Ingredients – Pour the flour, salt, and sugar (if using) into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a few times to combine. Cut the cold cream cheese and cold butter into large pieces and sprinkle them over the flour. Toss a bit with your fingers to coat the pieces with flour. - Cut the Cream Cheese and Butter into the Flour – Give the flour, butter, and cream cheese 10-12 one-second pulses. The result should look like large shaggy crumbs.
- Add the Vinegar and Water – Remove the lid and sprinkle the vinegar and two teaspoons of the cold water over the dough. Replace the lid and process continuously for 3-5 seconds until you see the dough just starting to come together. It should still look a bit crumbly with visible flour and visible streaks of fat. When you pinch some in your fist, it should easily hold together. If it doesn’t, sprinkle another two teaspoons of water over the top and process again.
- Press into Disks and Chill – Turn the dough out onto your work surface and divide it into two equal parts. Gather each mound of dough and press it into a flat 1-inch thick disk or square, depending on the shape of the pan you will be using. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes or overnight.
Fillings and Assembly:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Peel the peaches (see note below) and dice small. Combine the peaches, lemon juice, sugar, ginger, and salt in a bowl and stir to combine. In a separate bowl, combine all of the ingredients (except the flour) for the blackberry filling. Let each bowl of fruit macerate for 15-20 minutes while you prepare the pie crusts.
- Bring out one disk of pie dough and let it sit on a flour-dusted counter for a few minutes until it’s no longer rock solid. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough until it is between 1/4 and 1/2 inch thick — slightly thicker than a normal pie crust. Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter or wide-mouth drinking glass to cut as many circles as possible. Gather the scraps, re-roll, and cut additional circles. If your kitchen is very warm and the dough beginning to soften, chill the circles for 10 minutes before proceeding.
- Roll each circle of dough out to 1/8″ thick and about 5″ wide. Dust lightly with flour and transfer the circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet. It’s ok if the circles overlap. Chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- While the dough circles are chilling, strain the fruit fillings if they are very watery. Set a mesh strainer over a bowl and pour the filling into it, allowing the excess juice to drain away. Do the same process with the other filling if needed. Return the fillings to their original bowls and add the flour, tossing to coat.
- Remove the tray of dough circles from the refrigerator. Working one circle at a time, place 1 1/2 – 2 tablespoons of filling on the front edge of the circle, leaving about a 1/2-inch border (Use the other filling for the second half.) Brush the edges with a little milk and fold the top half of the dough over the filling. Use the tines of a fork to gently seal the edges. Repeat with remaining dough circles.
- Arrange the pies at least an inch apart on the baking sheet. Cut a few small slits in the top of each pie with a knife, brush the tops with milk, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 35 minutes or until the tops begin to brown. Don’t worry if some of the filling leaks out.
- While the first batch of pies are baking, roll, chill, and shape the second batch using the second disk of pie dough.
- Allow the pies to cool for 10 to 15 minutes before eating. Hand pies are best the day they are made, but will keep in a sealed container for up to a week.
Notes:
• Peeling Peaches – Firm peaches can be peeled with a vegetable peeler or paring knife. Softer peaches are best peeled by dunking them in boiling water for 45-60 seconds. The peels will slip off easily with a paring knife.
• Short-Cut Hand Pies – Sheets of frozen puff pastry are a great pastry alternative when you’re not in the mood for making your own pie dough from scratch.
• Freezing Pies for Later – Freeze the hand pies in a single layer on a baking sheet right after shaping them and cutting the steam vents. Once frozen solid, they can be gathered together and stored in a freezer container. To bake, arrange the frozen pies an inch apart on a baking sheet, brush them with milk and sprinkle them with sugar. Bake as directed. These pies my need a few extra minutes in the oven, but not much. They are done when the tops and edges are golden-brown.
(click here) for printable recipe