Peach Hand Pies
Dessert, Recipes
Jeffrey Besecker’s peach hand pies offer a single-serving spin on a seasonal favorite. The dessert starts with a pâté brisée, a classic French pie crust made with chunks of cold butter, ice water, sugar, salt and flour that can be frozen for several weeks. “We don’t cut corners,” he says. “You get the butter in there to bring out the sweetness of the peach, [and] you get that nice bit of flaky crispiness.”
Peach Hand Pies | Makes 6 servings
Recipe courtesy of The Old Arcana
INGREDIENTS
Dough for crust (recipe below)
6 large peaches, blanched
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon flour
1 egg, beaten
3 to 4 quarts canola or vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS
Pit and core blanched peaches. Slice peaches into 1/2-inch slices. Toss with cinnamon, flour and sugar.
Lightly flour work surface and cut dough into 2-inch balls. Roll each dough ball flat into 6-inch circles. Cover half of each dough round with 5 to 6 peach slices, leaving a 1/4-inch rim along the edge.
Brush edges of dough with egg. Fold empty edge over top of peaches and gently press edges together. With a fork, press light ridges around folded edge of hand pie. Chill covered for 1 hour.
Heat 3 to 4 quarts of canola or vegetable oil in a 6-quart stockpot. Warm over medium high until oil reaches 265 F. Lightly place each hand pie into the oil one at a time. Fry until golden brown.
Dough for Crust
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
DIRECTIONS
Put flour, salt and sugar in bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add butter and process for about 10 seconds, or just until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add ice water, tablespoon by tablespoon (1/4 to 1/2 cup), through the feed tube with machine running, just until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky; do not process more than 30 seconds. Test the dough at this point by squeezing a small amount together. If it is crumbly, add a bit more water.
Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap, using a rolling pin to flatten into a disk. Chill until needed. Wrapped in plastic, dough can be frozen for several weeks before using.
Peach Hand Pies | Makes 6 servings
Recipe courtesy of The Old Arcana
INGREDIENTS
Dough for crust (recipe below)
6 large peaches, blanched
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon flour
1 egg, beaten
3 to 4 quarts canola or vegetable oil
DIRECTIONS
Pit and core blanched peaches. Slice peaches into 1/2-inch slices. Toss with cinnamon, flour and sugar.
Lightly flour work surface and cut dough into 2-inch balls. Roll each dough ball flat into 6-inch circles. Cover half of each dough round with 5 to 6 peach slices, leaving a 1/4-inch rim along the edge.
Brush edges of dough with egg. Fold empty edge over top of peaches and gently press edges together. With a fork, press light ridges around folded edge of hand pie. Chill covered for 1 hour.
Heat 3 to 4 quarts of canola or vegetable oil in a 6-quart stockpot. Warm over medium high until oil reaches 265 F. Lightly place each hand pie into the oil one at a time. Fry until golden brown.
Dough for Crust
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water
DIRECTIONS
Put flour, salt and sugar in bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add butter and process for about 10 seconds, or just until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
Add ice water, tablespoon by tablespoon (1/4 to 1/2 cup), through the feed tube with machine running, just until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky; do not process more than 30 seconds. Test the dough at this point by squeezing a small amount together. If it is crumbly, add a bit more water.
Divide dough in half and wrap each half in plastic wrap, using a rolling pin to flatten into a disk. Chill until needed. Wrapped in plastic, dough can be frozen for several weeks before using.