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.