One of my yearly Fall traditions is to bake Apple Pocket Pies. It appears to be discontinued now, but the mold I use is from Williams Sonoma and resemble apples with a vent shaped like a leaf.
Ingredients:
For the pie crust:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 16 Tbsp (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 6 to 8 Tbsp ice water
For the apple filling:
- 4-5 Gala or Macoun apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch dice
- 1/3 cup granulated brown sugar (I use Sugar in the Raw)
- 1 tsp. vanilla paste (I prefer Nielsen Massey Bourbon Vanilla Paste)
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
- 2 tsp. cornstarch
- 2 Tbs. unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
- 2 Tbs. water
Egg Wash
- 1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tsp. water
Directions
Pie Dough
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat together the flour, salt and the 2 Tbsp granulated sugar on low speed until combined, about 10 seconds. Add the butter and beat for about 1 1/2 minutes more until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the 6 Tbsp ice water and beat for 20 seconds. The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but should not be sticky. If it is crumbly, add more water, 1 tsp. at a time, beating for 5 seconds after each addition. Turn the dough out onto a work surface. Divide the dough in half, wrap with plastic wrap and shape each into a disk. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Apple Filling
To make the apple filling, in a large bowl, stir together the apples, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and cornstarch. In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the apple mixture, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are just tender but not mushy, about 16 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the lemon juice and let cool for at least 30 minutes.
Assembling the Pie Pockets
Let the dough stand at room temperature for 5 minutes. On a floured surface, roll out 1 dough disk into a round 3/16 inch thick. Brush off the excess flour. Using a apple pocket pie mold, cut out 8 of each shape (4 solid and 4 with the decorative cutout). Reroll the dough scraps, if necessary, and cut out more shapes. Repeat with the remaining dough disk.
Place a solid dough shape in the bottom half of the cutter and gently press the dough into the mold. Fill the center with 2 Tbs. apple-cranberry filling and brush the edges of the dough with some of the egg wash. Top with a shape with a decorative cutout. Press the top half of the cutter down to seal and crimp the edges of the pie. Remove the pie from the mold and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
Preheat an oven to 400°F.
Brush the top of the pies with egg wash and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is gently bubbling, 22 to 24 minutes. Transfer the pies to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 8 pocket pies.
