Fruit-Filled Hand Pies

 {homemade mixed berry spread}

 {quick photo shoot of Packer while the hand pies baked}

I've never made fruit-filled hand pies before, but I was clearly inspired after making hand pies at my pastry internship at Scratch Baked Goods, in Long Beach, California. I've made a number of pies before, including this strawberry rhubarb pie, and the crust at the bottom is always soggy, and never as flakey and light as the crust. So, some genius created the idea of folding the insides of a pie with the same flakey crust dough to create the same experience, but in a neater and cleaner way. 

You can fill these hand pies with any jam, fruit spread, chopped fruit, pie filling or fruit butter, and the crust will always turn out flakey and light. No more runny insides of a pie that can seriously ruin your day once you slice it (...that has happened to me), but now create smaller, more convenient and equally delicious baked goods for everyone to enjoy. 

Here is the recipe: 

Patee Brisee by Martha Stewart 

Ingredients:

• 3 3/4 C all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 sticks (1 1/2 C) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
• 1/2 C ice water, plus more if needed

Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt; pulse to combine. Add butter, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces remaining, about 10 seconds. (To mix by hand, combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl, then cut in butter with a pastry blender.)
2. With the machine running, add ice water through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, just until dough holds together without being wet or sticky. Do not process more than 30 seconds. Test by squeezing a small amount of the dough together; if it is still too crumbly, add a bit more water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
3. Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Divide in half, and place each half on a piece of plastic wrap. Shape into flattened rectangles. Wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.

Assembling the hand pies:

adapted by Martha Stewart 

• About 2 C of fruit, cut into 1/4 inch pieces (I used thinly sliced Granny Smith apples as well as homemade mixed berry spread)
• 1 tbl granulated sugar (for the apple slices)
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (for the apple slices)
• 1 tbl cornstarch mixed with the zest of 1/2 orange and 1/2 orange's juice (for the apple   slices)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. 
2. Once the dough has chilled for at least one hour, roll it out and cut out as many 5-inch circles as you can. 
3. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off excess flour. Working with one circle at a time, place 2 tablespoons of your fruit mixture in the center. Brush two connecting edges with beaten egg and fold on the diagonal over the filling, pressing to seal. Repeat process with remaining squares.
4. Repeat entire process with remaining pate brisee. Place hand pies on prepared baking sheet. Brush pies with remaining egg wash. Using a paring knife, make three cuts in the dough at the top of the hand pie to allow any steam to escape.  
5. Transfer baking sheets to oven and bake until crusts are golden brown and filling is bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly on a wire rack. Serve warm.

xo, A