Blackberry Mojito Hand Pies
Ingredients
For the Blackberry Mojito Filling:
- 8 oz blackberries, chopped (230 g)
- 2 tsp fresh mint leaves, chopped
- 1/3 cup sugar (70 g)
- pinch salt
- zest of 1 lime
- 1/3 cup lime juice (2-3 large limes) (80 ml)
- 1 tbsp water
- 2 tsp cornstarch
For the Oil and Butter Pie Crust:
- 2 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (310 g)
- 3/4 tsp salt (1/2 tsp + 1/4 tsp)
- 3 tbsp oil
- 12 tbsp butter (cold and cubed) (170 g)
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup water (cold) (120 ml)
For Assembly:
- 1 egg, room temperature
- coarse sugar
Instructions
Blackberry Mojito Filling
- First, chop the blackberries and the mint leaves. Next, add them to a 2 qt saucepan with the sugar, salt, lime zest, and lime juice. Cook on medium heat until boiling, and continue to boil for about 5 minutes. The sugar will dissolve and a lot of juice will come out of the blackberries.
- In a cup, mix together the water and cornstarch. Stir until there are no lumps, then add to the blackberry mixture. Continue to cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the filling has thickened, about 1-2 minutes. Then turn off the heat and allow the filling to cool.
Oil and Butter Pie Crust
- Add the flour and salt to a large bowl and stir until well combined. Next, add the oil and stir until it is fully incorporated into the flour. You may have to use your hands for this part.
- Once the oil is thoroughly mixed in, add the butter and use a pastry blender to chop the butter until it is the size of large peas. Make sure the butter remains cold and doesn't melt into the flour. Next, add the water and mix until the dough comes together. Flatten the dough onto some plastic wrap and shape into a rectangle, then wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, take the dough out and place it on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 14x8 inches. Next, fold the botom third of the short side up, then fold the upper third down on top of it, like folding a letter. Rotate the dough 90° and repeat the rolling and folding process twice more. Wrap the dough again and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Assembly
- Preheat the oven to 425° F (220° C) and cover 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Take the dough out and roll it on a lightly floured surface until it is 1/4-inch (7-mm) in thickness. Use a 4-inch (10-cm) round cutter to cut out as many circles as you can. Combine the dough scraps and roll them out again. Instead of squishing the scraps together, try to fold them on top of one another and shape into a small rectangle before rolling. Cut out more circles until you have about 14.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and the water. Lay out 6 pie dough circles on each baking sheet and brush the edges with the egg wash. Spoon about 2 tsp of the blackberry filling into each crust, then fold each pie in half and press a fork along the edges to seal the crust. Once they are folded in half, you can move the pies over to make room for shaping the remaining pies.
- Use a sharp knife to cut a few slits in each crust, then brush the tops of the pies with the egg wash and sprinkle them with the coarse sugar. Bake the pies at 425° F (220° C) for about 7-8 minutes, then turn the heat down to 350° F (180° C) and cook for about 12-15 minutes, or until the crusts are golden brown. You can store the pies in the refrigerator for up t o 4 days.