In an effort to contain the chaos that can come from having my 3 year-old and out-of-school 6 year-old home together all day, everyday, I’ve been trying to have a few daily activities planned that we can do as a group and that are fun for all. So far they’re favorite thing, is the one the ends with a treat that they can eat.
Today we made these Quick and Easy Cherry Hand Pies. And trust me, when I say easy, it doesn’t get easier than this. I suppose unless you buy ready-made jam and use that as the filling, which would be just fine. I’ve taken a major shortcut with these and we used store-bought Puff Pastry dough that I already had in the freezer.
And I know, we’re not quite into (or near) cherry season, but I also already had those in the freezer. And these days are all about using whatever you can find in the house in an effort not to make any unnecessary trips to the store. If you don’t have fresh cherries or frozen ones, use whatever fresh or frozen fruit you do have on hand. Mr. T enjoyed these so much, he’s already looking forward to making apple or strawberry hand pies next.
Back to the cherries, though. All we did to them was cook them in a pot with a little sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch to thicken it up. (Your little ones can help keep an eye on it, from a safe distance, and will enjoy telling you when it starts to get nice and bubbly.) Vanilla extract adds a little something extra, but cinnamon or ginger would be great too. And a little sea salt balances everything out. You can make the fruit compote one or two days in advance so it’s ready when you want it. And as a bonus, there should be a little extra left over to spread on your morning toast or swirl in some oatmeal. Yum.
To make the activity even more fun, we used little cookie cutters for the tops instead of cutting steam vents and my mini chefs got a kick out of the visual I created by explaining what might happen if we didn’t let the steam out. Points for learning while having fun, right?
All in all, we had a great time making these and the fact that they bake in about 25 minutes meant there wasn’t too much time for anyone to get impatient about trying one. And as a little {cherry} on top, we decided to take our treats to the seaside and enjoy them in the afternoon sun.
Making these days count one moment at a time is our goal right now. And as a result, I think this uncertain and strange time of Covid-19 will also be marked with many fun memories squeezed in too.
Quick and Easy Cherry Hand Pies
Ingredients
- 1/2 package frozen puff pastry (for me that was 10 rectangle pieces)
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsps granulated or crystal sugar
For the Cherry Compote
- 2 cups frozen cherries, chopped (I used sour cherries)
- 3 tbsps granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- pinch salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Cherry Compote-
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Add the cherries and sugar to a medium saucepan over medium-low heat.
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In a small bowl, stir the lemon juice with the cornstarh so no lumps remain.
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Occasionally stir the cherry mixture for about 10 minutes, until it starts to bubble and thicken a little.
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Add the cornstarch slurry to the cherry mixture while continuously stirring. Bring the cherries back to a boil. Once it boils, stir in the vanilla and salt and pour into a medium bowl. (When you taste it, there should be no chalky cornstarch taste remaining if brought to a true boil.)
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Let the mixture cool completely or cover and put in the fridge for a day or two.
To Assemble the Hand Pies-
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When you're ready to make the pies, remove the puff pastry from the freezer and lay each sheet on parchment to thaw. Cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap.
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While you wait, make the egg wash by whisking the egg with a tablepoon of milk. Grab a pastry brush and cookie cutters if using. (A knife can be used to make steam vents too.)
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Once the pastry is not frozen hard but still quite cold, cut the pastry into the size pieces you will use. (I cut my rectangle puff pastry sheets into squares to place one on top of the other.
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When the pastry is pliable, still very cold though, place about two tablespoons of the cherry compote in the middle of the dough. When all are done, use the pastry brush to brush the edges with the egg wash. This will act like glue to keep the top layer attached. (Be careful not to brush the sides of the edges or they won't rise much.
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Next, cut your desired small shape, into the top pieces of dough and carefully place that over the piece with the compote and egg wash.
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Using a fork, push down on the edges of the dough to crimp the top and bottom layers together.
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Carefully brush the tops of the dough with a little more egg wash and sprinkle the sugar over each pie. When complete, place into the fridge to cool for about 15 minutes while you preheat the oven to 190C/ 375F.
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Bake the hand pies for about 25-30 minutes until golden brown, puffed up, and no wet spots remain on the bottoms. Let cool a few minutes before enjoying.
Recipe Notes
*If you use fresh cherries or other fruit, use about 2 1/2 cups.
*Cinnamon, ground ginger or another spice would work nicely in place of the vanilla.
* If you decide not to use a cookie cutter on the tops of the pies, make an x with a pairing knife for the steam vent.
Made these cherry hand pies with my girlies. These were absolutley delicious! As if that wasn’t reason enough to make them, my teenager told me I was “the best Mom in the world!” Thank you!!
Comments like these and from the teenagers makes it worth all the effort and a good excuse to make more! So glad you tried and enjoyed! Thank you!
Made these cherry hand pies with my girlies. These were absolutley delicious! As if that wasn’t reason enough to make them, my teenager told me I was “the best Mom in the world!” Thank you!!