The Perfect Bite :: Blueberry Hand Pies

Who needs a to-die-for Labor Day dessert to serve this weekend?  Jess here, and for today’s Perfect Bite I’ve got a sweet little hand-held treat, perfect for bidding summer farewell. Traditional pies are beautiful, but they can get really messy, and these little bundles are a neat and sweet solution.

The flaky, buttery crust holds a rich blueberry filling, and I can’t think of anything more perfect for a Labor Day Barbecue! Follow the jump for more drooling and the recipe…

Blueberry Hand Pies

Yields 8 hand pies

• 1 recipe for 9-inch pie dough (such as the {World’s Best Pie Crust*}), or store-bought
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 egg yolk + 1 tablespoon, for egg wash
• Heavy sprinkle of crystal sugar, for garnish

1. (Chill the pie dough for at least 1 hour before making hand pies.)  In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and lemon zest; Set aside.
2. In separate bowl, coat the blueberries with lemon juice. Sprinkle sugar mixture over blueberries and stir until they are evenly coated.
3. Roll out chilled pie dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut out circles approximately 5-6 inches in diameter (I simply used the rim of a round bowl to cut out circles). Fill the center of dough circle with blueberry filling. The amount you can fit inside will be dependent upon the size of your blueberries.  It should be approximately 2 tablespoons of filling per pie.
4. Prepare your egg wash by whisking together the egg yolk with a tablespoon of water. Brush egg wash on edge of dough circles, fold filled dough in half and seal the edges with a fork.
5. Chill hand pies for at least 30 minutes before baking.
6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
7. Remove pies from refrigerator and brush with remaining egg wash. Sprinkle on crystal sugar and cut a small slit in the top of each pie to let out steam.
8. Bake about 20 minutes. When done, pies should be golden brown and flaky.
9. Cool to room temperature before serving.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

{World’s Best Pie Crust} 

(Yields 1 double crust or 2 single 9″ pie crusts)

• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small cubes & chilled
• 1/4 -1/2 cup ice water

Food processor method (preferred!)

1. Using a food processor, process the flour, sugar, and salt and pulse to combine.
2. Add the chilled butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse sand.
3. Add 1/4 cup water and pulse until the dough holds together when squeezed. If needed, add more ice water by the tablespoon until the dough reaches desired consistency. (Be careful not to over-process.)
4. Form dough into 2 disks, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.

By hand (if you must)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar.
2. Add the chilled, cubed butter and cut in using a pastry blender.
3. Blend butter and flour until it resembles coarse meal.  (Refrain from using your hands to mix because the heat will melt the butter, which will cause your crust to loose its flakiness.)
4. Add 1/4 cup of ice water and mix together the dough with your hands until it holds together when squeezed. If needed, add more ice water by the tablespoon until the dough reaches this consistency.
5. Form dough into 2 disks, wrap individually in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour before using.