Me: “These pie crusts are made with sour cream. Do you think I can use creme fraiche?”
Mom: “Do they have butter?”
Me: “Yeah, two sticks.”
Mom: “Oh…how’s your waistline?”
My mom was joking, but the deliciousness in these little pies is no laughing matter. And I must say they are better a day or two after baking – somehow the crust is better flavored.
The combination of peaches, vanilla and bourbon is magical. The two-day process of making the crust is intolerable cruelty. But the end result will get you rave reviews from those who matter.
My reco: make these on a weekend, when you have all the time in the world. And bring them on your next road trip – they hold up surprisingly well!
This is adapted from Smitten Kitchen.
Peach-bourbon hand pies
Ingredients:
For the pastry:
- 2 1/2 c. flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 16 T unsalted butter, cold, cut into pieces
- 1/2 c. creme fraiche (or sour cream)
- 4 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 c. ice water
For the filling:
- 5 ripe peaches, skinned, seeded and chopped
- 1/4 c. flour
- 1/4 c. sugar
- Pinch salt
- 1 1/2 tsp bourbon
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- One egg beaten with 2 T water
To make pastry… in a bowl, combine flour and salt. Put butter in another bowl. Put both bowls in freezer for 1 hour. Remove from freezer, combine and blend with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal – this took a while for me, maybe 10 min., because the butter is frozen! Make a well in the center. In another bowl, combine creme fraiche, lemon and water. Add half to well and mix with your fingertips. Gradually add rest of the water mixture and mix/gently knead until a soft ball comes together. Cover in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight.
Divide cold dough in half. On a floured space, roll out one half to 1/8 inch thickness. Using a 4.5-inch bowl (because I don’t have a cookie cutter that size), cut rounds in the dough and transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet. Roll out the scraps and continue with second half, then refrigerate rounds for 30 min.
Now, make the filling: Mix peaches with flour, sugar, salt, bourbon and vanilla. Taste it, so good…
To assemble: Let chilled dough rounds stand at room temp for 2 min., then spoon 2 T of the peach filling in the center (I put in as much filling as it could fit).
Brush a little water around the dough edge, then fold in half and seal with your fingers. Press edges with a fork; repeat with remaining rounds. Now, put these back in the fridge to chill yet another 30 min.
Finally…
Preheat oven to 375. Remove hand pies from fridge, cut small slit on each top, then brush with egg wash. Sprinkle sugar over the top and place in oven. Bake until pies are golden brown and just slightly cracked, about 35-45 min. Remove from oven and let cool before serving.
Look at those layers!
Amazing.
The only way these could be better is with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce…but don’t go crazy!
Enjoy your taste of summer, friends! xoxo
Seasoned to Taste 