Cherry Heart Hand Pies | Recipe
Hand-held cherry pies, featuring a homemade, flaky pie crust and a quick and easy cherry filling.
I don't know how you feel about pie, but I for one am a huge fan. The only thing holding it back is the fact that it requires a fork to eat it. Problem solved with these handheld confections, as they allow you to get straight to business, no utensils necessary.
They begin with my tried-and-true TAK’s Perfect Pie Crust, a flaky and buttery pastry dough that’s beyond easy to make. Next, on to the filling: A simple and almost effortless cherry sauce made using frozen cherries, a bit of sugar and a touch of lemon. It's sweet, yet tart, and I have my suspicions, if you give it a go, you might find it irresistible not to eat this sauce by the spoonful. They bake up beautifully and taste incredible. Plus, miniature things are adorable. I hope you will enjoy this recipe and have yourselves a wonderful Valentine’s Day.
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Ingredients:
8 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into tiny cubes
8 tablespoons cold shortening, cut into tiny cubes
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling dough
1 ½ tablespoons + 1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, separated
1 teaspoon + a pinch fine sea salt, separated
1/2 cup + 3 tablespoons ice-cold water, separated
1 pound frozen sweet cherries, thawed
Juice of half a lemon
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 egg
For the Crust:
Place butter and shortening cubes in the freezer temporarily to harden, if necessary. Add flour, 1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of sea salt to a food processor fitted with blade attachment. Pulse until evenly incorporated. Add the butter and shortening cubes, a few pieces at a time with the motor running, until all fats are incorporated and pea-sized clumps begin to form. Slowly drizzle in a ½ cup of water. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and knead until the mixture comes together.
Alternatively, use a pastry blender and a large mixing bowl to cut in the fats, and sturdy wooden spoon to stir in the water.
Cut the dough ball in half using a knife or a pasty cutter, and form into two flattened round disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator until chilled through, at least 2 hours or up to overnight. Dough will be sticky if not properly chilled.
For the Cherry Filling:
Place the package of frozen cherries in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. Alternatively, allow to thaw on the countertop at room temperature, 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Transfer to a colander and drain. Combine cherries, 1/4 cup of sugar, lemon juice, almond extract and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan over med-high heat. Allow to rapidly simmer for 10 minutes. Using the back of a wooden spoon, crush the cherries.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of water. Add the mixture to the cherries, reduce the heat to medium-low and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
To Assemble the Hand-Pies:
Preheat the oven to 375° and have ready two sheet pans lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
On a large floured work surface, working with one dough round at a time, dust both sides of the round with flour. Begin rolling out the disk until an 1/8 of an inch thick and 12 inches in diameter.
Using a 3” heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out 9 hearts, gathering dough scraps and rolling once more, if needed. Carefully transfer hearts to the baking sheets, using a spatula if necessary and spacing them at least 1 inch apart.
Add a generous tablespoon of jam to the center of each heart. Roll out the second dough round and cut out 9 more hearts, placing them atop the jam. To enclose the filling, using the tongs of a fork, crimp the edges together all the way around the perimeter of the hand pies. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the egg wash across the top of each hand pie and sprinkle liberally with 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar. Gently poke holes across the top of each pie with the tongs of a fork. Bake for 18 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown. Serve and enjoy.
