Orchard Hand Pies
| Serves | 8 |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Nuts, Fruits |
| Day Part | Dessert |
| Menu Part | Appetizer/Small Plate |
| Cuisine Type | American |
Source: California Milk Marketing Board
These handheld fruit pies are baked in muffin tins to make them easy to grab-and-go for a sweet afternoon snack or late-night dessert. California cheddar and blue cheeses and chopped pecans add savory notes to the sweet filling.
Ingredients
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-in. dice
1 large Bosc Pear, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-in. dice
1/4 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tbsp. butter
Grated lemon zest, to taste
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
All Butter Pie Dough (recipe below) or 2 (15 oz.) packages ready-made pie crusts
Cooking spray
Steps
- Preheat oven to 375°
- Combine apples, pears, 3 tbsp. sugar, pecans, cornstarch, butter, ¼ tsp. cinnamon, lemon zest and vanilla in a med/ bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix blue cheese and Cheddar cheese
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough 1/8-in. thick. Cut out eight 4½ in. circles and eight 4-in circles using round cutters or a plate with the correct diameter.
- Lightly spray 8 muffin tin cups with cooking spray and line with 4½-in dough circles, leaving a ¼ in. overhang. Brush edges of dough with water. Sprinkle cheese mixture over bottom of dough, dividing it evenly.
- Mound the fruit mixture on top of cheese and divide evenly. Place 4 in. dough circles on top and press the edges with the tines of a fork to seal.
- Mix together 1 tbsp. sugar and ¼ tsp. cinnamon. Brush the tops of the pies with water and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. With the tines of fork, poke a few holes in each pie to vent the steam.
- Bake for 35-40 min. or until pies are golden brown and a knife inserted into filling feels no resistance.
- Cool pies in tin for about 10 min. Remove from tin and cool on rack.
All-Butter Pie Dough
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, frozen
3/4 cup ice water
- In large bowl, combine flour, sugar and salt. With a large holed grater, grate the butter into the flour mixture and toss lightly with your fingers to coat butter with flour.
- Drizzle 1/2 cup water over flour and butter mixture and toss lightly with hands. If necessary, gradually add more water until clumps of dough adhere to each other when lightly squeezed.
- Transfer dough to work surface and form into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hr. (Dough may be refrigerated up to 24 hr. or frozen. Be sure to bring it to room temperature before using.)