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Description

Apple and Pear mini pies


Ingredients

Scale

Pie Dough

  • 2 ½ cups (390g) all-purpose flour
  • Pinch of Salt
  • 2 tsp (8g) sugar
  • 2 sticks (226g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  • 1 cup (240ml) cold water
  • 1 cup ice
  • ¼ cup (60ml) apple cider vinegar

Pie Filling

  • 2 large firm baking apples
  • 2 large firm pears
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 3 Tbsp (36g) granulated sugar
  • 2 Tbsp (30g) raw sugar
  • 4 Tbsp (25g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Egg Wash

  • 1 large egg, whisked with 1 Tbsp water

Instructions

PIE DOUGH

  1. Place flour, sugar, and salt into a large bowl. Add the cubed butter and toss to coat. Working quickly and using a pastry blender or your hands, cut the butter into the flour until there are only small pea-sized chunks remaining. If you are going to do a detailed lattice, you want to take it a little further than you usually would to ensure that the dough is pliable and stable enough to be cut into small strips.
  2. Combine ice, water, and cider vinegar in a bowl. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of the ice water into the flour and butter mixture, and using a stiff spatula or your hands, mix in well. Continue adding water a tablespoon at a time ( I normally need about 12 tbsp) until you have a dough that holds together well, but is not too wet. Squeeze together with your fingertips to make a homogenous dough. Shape into two discs and wrap in plastic wrap. Rest in the fridge for at least two hours, or preferably overnight. 
  3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough until it is approximately ⅛" (3mm) thick. Line four 5 inch miniature pie dishes with dough, leaving some overhang. Refrigerate while you prepare the pie filling. 

FILLING

  1. Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples and pears and place in a large bowl. Add lemon juice and toss well to evenly coat the fruit. Sprinkle with the granulated sugar. Mix well to combine, and leave to sit for 20-30 minutes.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the raw sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Transfer the fruit to the bowl, leaving behind any excess liquid. Toss well to combine.

ASSEMBLY AND BAKING

  1. Divide the filling between the four lined pie dishes. If you are making a lattice the regular way, roll out the second disc of dough on a floured surface into a large circle, until it is ⅛" (3mm) thick. Cut the dough into thin strips of equal width.  If you are using the pasta maker for the lattice, pass floured slices of dough through the widest setting on your pasta maker multiple times, folding and pressing it back together between passes until it is smooth and homogenous. Decrease the thickness on the machine to the second widest setting, and pass the dough through several times. Pass the dough through the cutting attachment of the machine, and place the cut strips onto a baking sheet. Prepare the strips for 1-2 pies at a time, and make more as you need them to ensure that the dough does not dry out too much. 
  2. Arrange the strips on top of the filling, either in a regular lattice, or follow the steps in this tutorial to create a herringbone lattice. Trim the edges of the pie using shears. Transfer the pies to the freezer for 15-20 minutes to allow the pastry to firm up.
  3. While the pies are freezing, preheat the oven to 400f/200c. Place a baking sheet on the centre rack of the oven. 
  4. Remove the pies from the freezer and brush with the egg wash using a pastry brush. Place on the baking tray and bake for 15 minutes, until the pastry is beginning to set and go golden. Reduce the temperature to 375f/190c, and cook for a further 20 minutes or until the pastry is a deep golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool completely. 

Notes

Pie dough recipe from Four and Twenty Blackbirds