Mini Cherry Pie Bites Recipes

MINI CHERRY PIE BITES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Grease a 24 slot mini muffin tin, set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the pie crusts into a roughly rectangular shape (about a quarter inch thickness) and cut out 12 three inch rounds.
• Press the dough rounds into the muffin tin and repeat the same process with the other pie crust.
• Combine the cherry pie filling and almond extract. Mix well.
• Spoon the cherry pie filling into the bottom crusts .
• Knead your leftover dough together, and re-roll it out.
• Cut enough 1 1/2 squares to cover each of the pies.
• Slice each dough square into 4 strips and arrange in a lattice like formation over the tops of the pies.
• In a small bowl, stir together the egg and water with a fork.
• Using a basting brush, brush the top dough with the egg wash.
• Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the hearts are golden.
• Let cool.
• Serve & enjoy!

MINI CHERRY PIES

Steps:

• Make the crust: Pulse the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor. Add the shortening and 1 stick butter; pulse until the flour looks like coarse meal. Add the remaining butter and pulse until it is in pea-size pieces. Add the egg yolk and 6 tablespoons ice water; pulse until the dough just begins to clump, adding up to 2 more tablespoons water if needed. Transfer the dough to a large sheet of plastic wrap and gather into a 2-by-12-inch log. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Put a baking sheet on the middle oven rack and preheat to 400 degrees F. Make the filling: Combine the cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon zest and juice, and almond extract in a large bowl; toss until the sugar is dissolved and the cherries are coated. Set the filling aside.
• Cut the dough in half; cut one half into 6 pieces (keep the other half refrigerated). Roll each piece into a 6-inch round on a lightly floured surface. Ease each round into a 5-inch pie plate, letting the excess dough hang over the edge. Evenly divide the filling among the bottom crusts (the pies will be full).
• Remove the remaining dough from the refrigerator and use to make the top crusts (see options below); assemble the pies. Brush the top crusts with the beaten egg and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar. Refrigerate the pies until firm, about 30 minutes. Put the pies on the hot baking sheet in the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake until the crusts are golden and the fruit is bubbling, 55 to 60 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.

MINI CHERRY PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Unroll the pie crusts, and cut 2 6-inch rounds from the dough; cut the remaining dough into 1/8-inch strips for a lattice crust. Fit the rounds into 2 5-inch mini pie dishes.
• In a bowl, stir together the cherries, tapioca, sugar, and almond extract; let the filling stand for 5 minutes to soften the tapioca. Stir the filling again, and spoon into the pie shells. Use the strips to weave a lattice crust on each pie, and pinch the crusts together.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the crusts are golden brown and the filling is bubbling and thickened, about 30 minutes. Allow to cool before serving.

CHERRY MINI CAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F (350°F for dark or nonstick pans). Grease bottoms only of about 58 mini muffin cups. In large bowl, beat mini cakes ingredients with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally.
• Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about half full). (If using one pan, refrigerate batter while baking other cakes; wash pan before filling with additional batter.)
• Bake 10 to 13 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove cakes from muffin cups to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Place cooling rack on cookie sheet or waxed paper to catch glaze drips. In 3-quart saucepan, mix all glaze ingredients except hot water. Heat over low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons hot water. If necessary, stir in up to 1 teaspoon more water so glaze will just coat cakes.
• Turn each cake so top side is down on cooling rack. Pour about 1 tablespoon glaze over each cake, letting glaze coat sides. Let stand until glaze is set, about 15 minutes.
• Top each cake with candy hearts. Store loosely covered.