Strawberry Hand Pies

Spring is coming which means lots of beautiful, fresh strawberries. When strawberries are in season, I freeze an extra batch before the season ends so that I can use them all year round.

If you prefer other fruits, just substitute them. You can use peaches, raspberries, blueberries or even apple.

Preparation Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 25-30 minutes

Yields 10

Ingredients

2 cups/ 240 grams all purpose flour

1 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup/ 227 grams butter- cold and cubed.

1 egg

2 tablespoons cold milk

Filling

1 2/3 cups/ 227 grams frozen strawberries

2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 teaspoon corn starch

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 egg- beaten- for sealing and brushing over pies

Coarse sugar- for topping

Instructions

1. Pastry: Combine the flour, sugar, salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until crumbs form. Add the egg and milk. Pulse until it comes together.

2. Divide the dough in 2. Flatten, cover with clingfilm and chill for 1 hour.

3. Make the filling: combine all the ingredients in a pan over a medium heat. Cook it for 5-10 minutes until it thickens. Turn off the stove, set it aside and cool the mixture to room temperature.

4. Assemble the pies: Roll the crust into square. Cut into 3 inch squares. Divide the filling to be around 2 tablespoons each pie. Brush edges with beaten egg. Top with another piece of pastry.

5. Make cuts to create decorative design over the top. You can use a knife to make cuts. These will be vents to allow the heat and steam to escape. Crimp the edges to ensure the pastry stays closed while baking.

6. Brush the tops with the egg and sprinkle over coarse sugar.

7. Bake at 180c for 15-20 minutes