September 20, 2013

Apple + Blackberry Hand Pies


Hello little beauties. That little beauties is directed at you and at these hand pies. Have I flattered you into staying around so I can tell you more about these hand pies? Good! 

Follow me to a world of buttery, flaky pastry and sweet apple and blackberry filling...


Five facts...not facts, things I think you should know about these pies: 

1. These pies are cute.
2. These are cute pies that fit in your hand.
3. These pies are filled with a sweet apple and blackberry filling....Hello Autumn, is that you?
4. The pastry used for these pies is flaky and buttery.
5. Did I mention that these are pies that fit in your hand...A WHOLE PIE IN YOUR HAND!


Pie is my favourite, it's my go to dessert, especially apple pie. Add in a few blackberries and you've got a delicious autumnal pie.

Apple + Blackberry = Best Friends. 


You can eat these pies with your hands and you probably will, since they're hand pies!

If you're partial to whipped cream and/or ice cream with your pie you'll need to move the situation to a plate. 

Maybe you're amazing though, maybe you can manage pie and ice cream in you hand. Can we be friends if you can? 

Enjoy,

Holly, x


Hand pie ingredients: flour, salt, sugar, butter, water, apples and blackberries. 


Grate the cold butter on the coarse side of a box grater.

Stir together the flour, caster sugar and salt. 


Add the grated butter to the flour mix...


...and combine. 


Make a well in the centre of the flour and butter mixture and slowly add in the cold butter...


...stirring with a fork until the pastry comes together. 


Turn out onto a work surface and bring the pastry together quickly.

Wrap with clingfilm and place in the fridge to chill for 2 hours. 


Peel, core and dice the apples into a small 1/4 inch dice. 


Place in a pot with the sugar. 


Cook for 5-8 minutes until the apples are soft and have cooked down. 

Remove from the heat and allow to cool. 


Once the dough has chilled, cut it in half and place one half back in the fridge. 


On a lightly floured work surface roll the dough out to an 1/8 of an inch in thickness. 

Using a 4 inch pastry cuter, cut out 7 circles, and set the trimmings aside.

Repeat the same process with the other half of pastry.


Stack the pastry circles between sheets of parchment. 


Re-roll the trimmings and cut out more pastry rounds.  

Stack the pastry and refrigerate for 1 hour. 


After an hour, remove the pastry circles from the fridge and top with 1 tablespoon of the cooled apple mixture and half a blackberry. 


Make an egg wash with 1 egg yolk and two tablespoons of water. Run the egg yolk around the edge of the pastry. 


Fold the pastry over, crimp and seal the edge with a fork.

Make all the pies, refrigerate for 30 minutes, remove from the fridge, egg wash and cut a small slit in the top of each pie.

Bake at 180C for 25-30 minutes. 



Recipe, makes 21-25 hand pies

Pastry
250g Plain Flour
1 Tablespoon Caster Sugar
Pinch Salt
110g Unsalted Butter, cold
4-8 Tablespoons Cold Water

Apple Mix
750g Cooking Apples
125g Caster Sugar
125g Blackberries

Grate the cold butter on the coarse side of a box grater.
Stir together the flour, sugar and salt.
Add the grated butter to the flour and stir until combined.
Using a fork, make a well in the centre and slowly add in the cold water until the pastry comes together.
Turn the pastry out onto a work surface and knead quickly to bring it together.
Wrap in clingfilm and place in the fridge for 2 hours to chill.  

Peel, core and dice the apple into a 1/4 of an inch dice. 
Place into a pot with the sugar and cook over a low heat for 5-8 minutes or until the fruit has softened and cooked down.
Remove from the pot and allow to cool.
In the meantime, half the blackberries. 

Once the pastry has chilled, remove it from the oven and cut it in half.
Re-wrap one half and return to the fridge.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll the pastry out to an 1/8 in thickness.
Using a 4inch pastry cutter, cut out 7 pastry circles and set the trimmings aside. 
Transfer the pastry circles to a plate and stack between sheets of parchment.
Remove the other pastry half from the fridge and cut out 7 more circles.

Roll the trimmings together and cut out more circles.
Place the stacked pastry circles in the fridge for 1 hour.

Once chilled, remove the pastry from the fridge.
Add 1 tablespoon and 1/2 a blackberry to the centre of each circle.
Make an egg wash with 1 yolk and 2 tablespoons of water.
Brush the edge of the pastry with the egg wash and  fold the pastry over to create a half moon.
Seal and crimp the edge with a fork and place on a lined baking tray. 
Place in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C.
Remove the pastries from the fridge, egg wash and slit each top with knife.
Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. 
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before eating

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