Blueberry Hand Pies
Ingredients
For the Filling:
- 1/3 cup sugar (70 g)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 1/3 cups blueberries
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
For the Pie Crust:
- 3 cups flour (375 g)
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup oil (60 ml)
- 14 tablespoons cold butter, cubed (200 g)
- 3/4 cup cold water
For Assembly:
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 2 teaspoons water
- coarse sugar
Instructions
Make the Blueberry Filling:
- In a 2 qt saucepan, add the sugar, cornstarch, and salt, and stir until well combined. Add the blueberries and stir until they are coated with the sugar mixture. Finally, add the lemon juice.
- Cook on medium heat until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to boil. Turn heat to low and continue boiling for about 5 more minutes, until the blueberries have shrunk and the juice has become very thick. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.
Make the Crust:
- In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, and salt until well combined. Next, add the oil and stir at first, then mix by hand, making sure the oil is thoroughly incorporated.
- Next, add the cubed butter and use a pastry blender or your hands to mix it in, breaking it into smaller pieces until they are the size of peas. Finally, add the cold water and mix gently until the dough comes together into a large mass. Cover in plastic wrap and chill for about 30 minutes.
Assemble and Bake:
- Whisk the egg and water to make the egg wash. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the pie crust into a 12x18 inch (30x48 cm) rectangle. If not using the pie tool, from the smaller side, cut the rectangles into four 3-inch (7.5 cm) strips. From the long side, cut into four 4.5-inch (12 cm) strips.
- Space 8 of the crusts out evenly on the baking sheets. Brush the edges of the crusts with the egg wash. Add about 1 1/2 tablespoons of filling to the centers of 8 crusts. One by one, gently place the 8 top crusts on top and seal at the edges by pressing them with the crimping edge of the pie tool, or a fork. Chill in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 425° F (220° C.) Cut slits into the top crusts of each pie. Brush the tops of the pies with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 10 minutes, then turn the oven tempreature down to 375° F (190° C) and bake for 10 more minutes. The pies can be stored at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for about 4-5 days. They will also freeze well for about 3 months.