In the fall of 2020, while quarantined near campus in New Hampshire, my daughter went for a walk and sent me this photo from the Upper Valley. The water was still, the trees were just beginning to turn, and the whole scene had a quiet calm to it. Without getting too nostalgic, I'll just say that photo inspired these Puff Pastry Apple Hand Pies. Every time I look at it I miss New England and feel like making apple pie! This time I made hand pies because they're easy to pack up and share.
Making These Different
I usually make hand pies with regular pie dough, but this time I wanted something a little different and used puff pastry. Along with using puff pastry, I thickened the apple mixture with tapioca starch instead of cornstarch and used cream instead of egg wash, so the pies would be egg-free for friends with dietary restrictions.
Puff Pastry for Hand Pies
While thinly rolled pie dough works well for hand pies, puff pastry always feels a little fancier. I use Pepperidge Farm, which comes with two rolls of dough that you thaw and unfold into three panels. There's no need to roll it out, you just cut it into rectangles, gently pinch and pull the pieces to make them a bit larger, add the fruit, top with a second rectangle, and pinch the seams to seal.
Sealing tightly is the critical part. Puff pastry loves to rise, so you really have to press those edges firmly to keep the pies from popping open. Even then, you may get a few that split. Thankfully, the filling sets as it cools, so the fruit stays inside and the pies hold together.
Why Use Tapioca Starch in Hand Pies
Cornstarch is my usual thickener, but I wanted to try tapioca starch in hand pies to see if there were really any benefits. It works well. If using tapioca, there's no need to make a slurry -- just toss the tapioca starch with the apple mixture and cook for as few minutes in a saucepan to render the juices. The filling becomes translucent and glossy, and the sauce thickens slightly when chilled. This thicker consistency makes assembly much easier and keeps the filling from oozing out during baking.
The Sad Thing About Hand Pies
The sad thing about making apple hand pies is that you can't put too much sauce in them or overfill. No matter how generous you want to be with the filling, you have to spoon the fruit onto the dough but leave most of the sauce behind. Hopefully, you can find other uses for it like drizzling over oatmeal, swirling into yogurt, or serving it warm over ice cream. It's just so, so tempting to want to spoon it into that pastry. Don't do it.
Puff Pastry Apple Hand Pie Tips
- Start with a little over a pound of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples. This is usually about 2 Granny Smith's and 1 Honeycrisp, but that will vary.
- Try to keep the apple pieces the same size. Thinner pieces tend to stick to the dough better, so I usually make thin slices and then cut those thin slices into thirds.
- Pies hold together better as they bake if you start with cold filling and cold dough, so make the filling ahead of time.
- To help prevent the pies from popping open, brush with egg wash and chill for about 30 minutes before baking. If you are not using the egg wash, brush with cream right before baking.
Recipe
Puff Pastry Apple Hand Pies
Ingredients
Apple Filling
- 18 oz apples, Granny Smith and Honeycrisp (start with about 3 medium), you'll need 12 total once trimmed
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup dark brown sugar (70 grams)
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ginger
- ⅛ teaspoon cardamom
- 2 teaspoons tapioca starch or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon butter (I use salted)
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 package puff pastry (2 rolls)
- ⅓ cup heavy cream for brushing (or you can use an egg wash)
- coarse sugar, optional
Instructions
- Make the filling. Peel, core, and cut the apples into thin slices. Cut the slices into thin chunks about ¾ inches. After peeling and cutting you should have 12 oz. Toss with the lemon juice, then toss with sugar, spices and tapioca starch. If using cornstarch, hold off on adding it.
- Melt the butter in a large (3 quart) saucepan. Add the apple mixture and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring gently, just to soften the apples and release their juices. **If using cornstarch, make a little slurry with 1 tablespoon of cold water and add to the saucepan.** The mixture should thicken fairly quickly if you used tapioca. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon zest, then transfer to a bowl and let cool slightly. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill. You'll have 14 oz (weight) of filling.
- Take out puff pastry sheets and set them on a pastry mat to thaw for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Have ready a large rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment for baking, plus a couple of small trays or plates you can fit in the refrigerator to hold the assembled hand pies while they chill.
- Unroll one roll of the puff pastry rolls onto the pastry mat. Using the three seams as a guide, cut it into thirds, then cut again crosswise to make 12 little rectangles.
- Take one of your rectangles and (working on the pastry mat) use two fingers to press around the edges, widening it slightly. Spoon a little over an oz of apples (leave behind sauce to avoid runniness) into the middle. Take a second rectangle, widen it with your fingertips and lay it over the apples. Pinch seams and really seal in those apples. Brush edges with egg wash (if using). Transfer to one of your smaller trays or plates and repeat to make 6 pies. Put them in the refrigerator and do the next 6 using the second roll of puff pastry.
- When all pastries are assembled and chilled, set them on the larger parchment lined tray. If you did not use the egg wash, pinch the seams again and brush with a little cream. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 20 minutes. While one tray bakes, trim and brush cream on the second batch. Bake them next.
- Let the pies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
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