Soft Fruit Pies
Author: Guava Rose
Prep time: 45 mins
Cook time: 30 mins
Total time: 1 hour 15 mins
A hand pie of sweet, saucy fruit wrapped in a soft cinnamon crust.
Ingredients
  • DOUGH FOR THE CRUST:
  • 2-1/4 c. unbleached flour
  • ½ c. whole wheat flour
  • ¼ c. sugar
  • 1-1/2 T. baking powder
  • 1 tsp. sea salt
  • 2 tsp. cinnamon
  • ¼ c. melted butter
  • 1-1/2 c. light sour cream or 1 c. nonfat Greek yogurt mixed w/1/2 c. applesauce
  • APPLE FILLING:
  • 6 c. peeled, diced (1/2") apples (approx. 2# before peeling and coring)
  • 2 T. butter
  • ½ c. sugar
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 T. lemon juice
  • 2 c. water mixed w/1 T. + 2 tsp. cornstarch
  • TOPPING:
  • 1 T. butter, melted
  • 2 tsp. sugar
  • FROSTING (optional):
  • 1 c. powdered sugar
  • 2 T. butter,melted
  • 1 T. hot water
  • ½ tsp. vanilla
Instructions
  1. For the filling: Melt butter on medium-high heat in a nonstick skillet. Add apples. Stir and cook until the apples are halfway cooked, about 10 minutes. Mix in cinnamon, sugar and lemon juice. Stir in cornstarch and water mixture. Cook uncovered another 10-13 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender and the filling is thick.
  2. Pour into a shallow pan and cool to room temperature. Chill for at least an hour.
  3. For the dough: Whisk together flours, salt, baking powder, sugar and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Drizzle with melted butter. Add sour cream and mix together until a smooth dough is formed. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit on counter until the filling is ready.
  4. To make the pies: Cut dough into 8 wedges. Sprinkle each piece with flour and roll out on a floured surface into a 6-1/2" to 7" circle. Sprinkle with extra flour as needed while rolling out pieces.
  5. For each circle of dough, spoon ⅛th of the filling onto the center. Lift two opposite edges of dough up like a taco and pinch the dough edges together on each end. You'll want to do this as quickly as possible before the filling has a chance to ooze out the ends. Pinch the rest of the edges together to completely seal up the pie, and you'll have something that looks like a giant potsticker.
  6. On a greased baking sheet, lay the pie down flat on one of its sides, and use a curved hand to neaten up the dough edges. Seal the dough edges again by pressing the tines of a fork through, all around. Prick the top of the pie a few times. Brush each top with some melted butter, then sprinkle with ¼ tsp. sugar.
  7. Bake at 400 degrees, for about 30 minutes or until the crust is cooked through. If you prefer the tops a little darker, place under the broiler for 30-40 seconds, but watch very closely so they don't burn. Remove from pans and cool on a rack.
  8. For PEACH FILLING VARIATION, follow the same filling directions using: 2lbs. frozen, sliced peaches, thawed (dice peaches and include the thawed juices); 2T. butter; ½ c. sugar; ½ tsp. cinnamon; 2T. lemon juice; and ⅓ c. water mixed w/1 T. + 2 tsp. cornstarch.
  9. OPTIONAL FROSTING: Blend all ingredients together. Frost cooled pies or pipe frosting onto pie tops.
Recipe by Guava Rose at http://www.guavarose.com/2012/11/soft-fruit-pies/