Fried Apple Hand Pies

By jeenikeen

Ingredients

• For the Pies:
• Rich, Flaky, Easy-Roll, Pie Dough
• (Makes one 9-inch pie shell or 8 hand pies)
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons bleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons butter, frozen, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) very cold cream cheese cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening, frozen and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons ice water
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons brandy (optional)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
• Pinch salt
• 1 1/4 pounds crisp apples, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, and cut into small dice
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 3 cups vegetable or canola oil
• One of the following: 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, 8 teaspoons curry powder, 4 teaspoons ground cardamom, 2 tablespoon Chinese five-spice powder

Details

Servings 16
Adapted from threemanycooks.com

Preparation

Step 1

For Pastry Dough:

Mix flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor fitted with the metal blade to combine. Add butter; toss to break up butter cubes and coat with flour. Plus 4 or 5 times, 1 long second each. Break cream cheese and shortening into flour mixture; toss to coat. Pulse another 4 or 5 times, one long second each, until fats are pea and pebble size. Add water; pulse twice, one long second each, to evenly distribute the water (dough will not have come together). Dump mixture into a bowl; press with palm of hand to form a cohesive ball.

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap; press each into a thick disk. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours. (Can be refrigerated 2 days or frozen 2 months)

For the Pies:

Unroll pie dough on a lightly floured surface and roll to 14-inches in diameter. Using a round 4 1/4-inch cookie cutter cut dough into 8 circles. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Can be double-wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for a couple of days.)

Whisk cornstarch, vanilla, and optional brandy in 1/3 cup of water; set aside.

Mix 1/4 cup of sugar and the salt; toss with apples.

Heat butter in a medium (10-inch) skillet over medium-high heat until pale nutty brown. Add apple mixture; cover and cook until soft and juices release, about 7 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until juices thicken to light syrup consistency, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Stir in cornstarch mixture; continue to cook until it thickens, less than a minute. Transfer apples to a rimmed baking sheet; refrigerate or set aside until room temperature. (Can be refrigerated in an enclosed container up for a couple of days.)

When ready to serve, Mix remaining 1/2 cup of sugar with one of the spice options of your choice. working eight at a time, spoon a heaping tablespoon of the filling onto the lower center of each dough circle.  Then, working on at time, brush around the edge of the lower half with water.  Fold upper half of dough over filling to make a turnover, and pressing on edges to seal.  Repeat with remaining, to make 16 turnovers.

Heat oil to 375 degrees in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Working in 3 batches, drop 5 or 6 pies into the hot oil.  Fry until crisp and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes turning as needed. Transfer to a wire rack, sprinkling each turnover with spiced sugar.  For a more aromatic pie, lightly sprinkle each with additional spice.