On Sunday night, my husband and I hosted a dinner for a few friends. On the menu was a variety of delicious dishes (he cooked the main dishes: pork and lamb chops, roasted carrots, pearl onions, fingerling potatoes and green beans plus an incredible mushroom risotto for the first course) and I made the dessert. I've never been a huge peach lover but these mini pies (baked, not fried) converted me. It was a stellar ending to a fantastic meal. The peach filling would also be fantastic on ice cream. Yum!
Baked (not fried) Peach Pies
- 2 cups fresh peaches (about 5 peaches) peeled & chopped
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon bourbon
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon angostura bitters
Hand Pie Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
- 1 egg beaten plus 1 teaspoon cream, for egg wash
To make the filling:
1. Peel and coarsely chop peaches and toss them in 1 teaspoon of lemon juice.
2. In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the peaches, brown sugar, bourbon, butter, cardamom, ginger and salt. Cook and stir over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the sugar is dissolved. In a tiny bowl, stir the cornstarch and 1 teaspoon of water and add it to the peaches. Cook and stir for about 10 minutes more or until the mixture has thickened and is glossy. Stir in the angostura bitters and transfer the peach mixture to a small bowl to cool.
To make the hand pie dough:
1. Combine the flour, sugar and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to mix.
2. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles course meal or peas. Work quickly so that the butter remains cool and does not melt into the flour.
3. Combine the egg yolk and 3 tablespoons of ice water and stir to mix. Add to the flour mixture and stir with a fork just until the dough clumps together and is moist enough to pat together with your hands. If the dough is dry and crumbly, add a little more ice water one tablespoon at a time but just until the dough comes together. Do not add so much water that it becomes wet or sticky.
4. With lightly floured hands, gather the dough together, turn it onto a lightly floured work surface and form the dough into a ball. Divide the dough in half and flatten it with the palm of your hand to make two discs. Wrap each disc in plastic and put in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour or up to 3 days.
5. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 375°F.
6. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie dough about 1/4 inch thick. Cut eight 5-inch rounds with a cutter or a small knife. Place about 2 tablespoons of the peach filling on the right side of each round, leaving a 1/2 inch border.
8. Combine the cream and the egg in a small bowl and stir to mix. Brush the borders of the rounds with an egg wash and fold the left side of the dough over the filling so that the edges meet and enclose the filling. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Cut small slits into the top of each pie with a paring knife.
9. Place the pies on the prepared baking sheet, brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway, until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature.
10. Serve at room temperature or heated with vanilla ice cream.
Recipe via Design Sponge.
photo: me
