Autumn Spiced Apple And Pear Hand Pies Recipes

APPLE-PEAR PIE

Steps:

• Peel the apples and pears; slice 1/2 inch thick. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples, pears, granulated sugar, brown sugar, ginger and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mostly tender, 20 to 25 minutes (reduce the heat if the skillet looks dry). Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, flour and cinnamon. Let cool to room temperature.
• Meanwhile, place a baking sheet in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 450 degrees F. Cut 1 dough round into nine 1/4-inch-wide strips; cut the rest of that round into strips of varying thickness. Weave the 1/4-inch strips into 3 thin braids, 3 strips per braid (these will be for the edges). Make braids with some of the remaining strips; leave some as is. Refrigerate the braids and strips until firm, 30 minutes.
• Line a 9-inch pie plate with the other dough round; add the filling. Arrange the dough strips and braids (except for the 3 for the edges) parallel to one another on top of the filling. Trim any excess dough around the edges. Brush the edges with beaten egg and line with the 3 thin braids; trim the excess. Brush all of the dough with egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
• Bake the pie on the hot baking sheet, 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F and bake until the filling is bubbling and the crust is browned, about 1 more hour. (Cover the crust with foil if it darkens too quickly.) Transfer to a rack to cool completely.

SPICED APPLE AND PEAR PIE

Steps:

• Dough:
• Whisk the flour, sugar, and salt together in a medium bowl. Rub 1/4 cup of the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingers until completely absorbed. Then rub in the remaining butter until it resembles cornmeal mixed with pea-size bits of butter. (If it gets warm and sticky, refrigerate it to chill.)
• Beat the egg with 3 tablespoons of the water; then drizzle it evenly over the dough. Lightly stir the dough together with a fork. (The dough should just hold together when you squeeze it together, with some dry crumbly bits.) If the dough is really dry, sprinkle it with the final tablespoon of water. (To make the dough in food processor, see below.)
• Divide the dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap and shape into disks. Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. (The dough can be frozen for 2 months. Defrost dough in the fridge overnight.)
• Filling:
• Finely grate the lemon zest and set aside. Peel, core and then slice both the apple and pear into 1/2-inch slices. Squeeze the lemon juice over the fruit, then toss fruit with the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt and nutmeg.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fruit and cook, stirring until the sugar dissolves and juices simmer, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and cook, uncovered, until the fruit softens and the juices evaporate some, about 10 minutes. Evenly mix the flour into the fruit; then cook about a minute more to thicken the juices slightly. Stir in the vanilla and lemon zest; and remove from the heat. (The filling should resemble a tight compote.) Cool completely.
• Form the pie:
• Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Roll a disk of dough into an 11 to 12-inch circle. Transfer the dough to 9-inch glass pie pan (see photo), trimming so it hangs about 1/2-inch over the edge of the pan. Fill the crust with the prepared fruit so it mounds slightly in the center. Roll the remaining dough into a 12-inch circle. Brush the rim of the crust with some of the egg.
• Roll the dough onto the rolling pin and unroll it over the fruit so it hangs over the edge of the pie pan by about 1/2-inch. Trim crust if needed, reserving the scraps for decorations or for patching, if needed. Fold the top crust edge under the bottom one, then press the edges together to seal. Cut trimmed scraps into designs if desired and set aside. Flute the crust by pressing a finger into the crust against the other hand's index finger and thumb to make an even impression. Repeat every 1/2 inch around the pie to create a ruffled edge (see photo). Refrigerate the pie for at least 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, place a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat to 425 degrees F.
• Brush pie with egg and place cut dough designs on top if desired. Brush again and sprinkle with sugar. Cut 6 to 8 small steam vents into the top of the dough. Place pie on a baking sheet and cook for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake until the crust (both top and bottom) is golden brown, about 50 minutes more. If the edges begin to brown too quickly, cut a pie shield out of a piece of aluminum foil and cover the edges (see photo). Cool on a rack.
• Serve pie warm or at room temperature with whipped or ice cream. Keep pie, covered, at room temperature for a day, or refrigerate for up to four.

SPICED PEAR & APPLE PIE

Steps:

• Prepare recipe for double crust pie. Roll out dough for bottom crust. Place in 9-inch pie plate. Press to fit without stretching dough. Trim even with pie plate. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine pears, apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, ginger, salt and lemon juice in large bowl. Spoon into prepared pie crust.
• Roll out dough for top crust. Place onto filled pie or cut into strips creating a lattice top. Trim 1/2-inch beyond edge. Fold under bottom crust edge to seal. Crimp and flute edges. Cut slits in top crust or prick with fork to allow steam to escape. Brush crust with milk and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
• Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown.

SWEET AUTUMN HARVEST PIE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Place jellyroll pan on lower oven rack.
• Fit bottom crust into 9" pie pan.
• Flute; refrigerate.
• Roll out top crush to 1/4" thickness.
• Using a leaf-shaped cutter, cut out pastry leaves.
• Mix apples, pears, cranberries, 1-1/4 cups sugar, flour, lemon juice and cinnamon; spoon into crust.
• Brush crust edges with egg.
• Arrange leaf cutouts over filling, overlapping slightly.
• Brush with egg; sprinkle with remaining sugar.
• Place pan on hot baking sheet in oven.
• Bake 10 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Bake 1 hour or until golden.
• Cool on rack.