You may be seeing a theme this month on the blog? Like, Peaches?
Yuppers! Peaches are what is in season, and before it’s apple this and pumpkin spice that, let’s squeeze every drop of peachy-deliciousness out of the summer while we can, K?
These hand pies I made last week, and I actually froze them for our guests for our Labor Day luncheon. Hand pies are a wonderful way to feed a large group conveniently outdoors, and I used a Trader Joe’s pie crust that is an adequate substitute for my homemade pie crusts. I am OK with a shortcut now and again. Honestly, the fresh, seasonal peaches are the star here, accompanied by a special chai masala blend, that kicks things up uniquely. The chai masala I used is from the Indian food brand (and blogger/author) Indian as Apple Pie. The brand is a creation of fellow foodie gal and talented pal, Anupy Singla. If you can’t get to the store or make your own, you can purchase her blends and other food and kitchen products (oh and cookbooks, this lady is busy!) online here. The chai masala spices give a different slant to the typical cinnamon used in peach pie filling. Your guests will wonder what haunting magic you put in these babies!
Mini Peach Chai Masala Hand Pies
Ingredients:
2 cups of peeled, pitted and diced peaches
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 a teaspoon (mild) to 1 well-rounded teaspoon (strong) of chai masala spice blend
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
dash of salt
1 large egg, whisked
2 store-bought pie crusts rolled out according to directions
For sprinkling:
2 tablespoons of granulated sugar or sanding sugar
1/4 teaspoon of chai masala spice blend
Mix well in a small bowl
Directions:
In a small bowl, mix the diced peaches with the brown sugar, chai masala blend, lemon juice and dash of salt. Let it sit for 30 minutes to one hour. Drain juice and boil it in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, reducing it down to 1/3rd, and it’s thick and syrupy. When you drain the peaches, return the fruit back to the bowl while you boil the juice, and toss them with 2 teaspoons of cornstarch, and set-aside. Once the juice is thick and syrupy, take off the heat and add to the waiting diced peaches, and mix everything gently together. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375°.
On a large floured surface, roll out your first pie crust. With a floured 3-inch wide biscuit cutter, cut out pie rounds. Collect excess dough in a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Have a bowl of cold water nearby, and wet your fingers with cold water and rub water around the edge of the dough rounds. Place a teaspoon of the filling on top of every other round, at the center. Place an unfilled dough round on top of each of the ones with the filling, and crimp the edge with the tines of a fork all the way around. Place each on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Continue until all the dough is used from both pie crusts, rerolling scraps and repeating the process. Once all the dough is used and filled, brush the tops with an egg wash. Cut a little cross on the top at the center of each using kitchen shears. Sprinkle generously with the sugar blend. Bake for about 18 minutes, flipping pans in the oven halfway through. Pies should be puffy and lightly golden on the edges. Let sit on baking sheets for about 5 minutes to set and then transfer them, using a spatula, to cooling racks to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature. Can be frozen and then thawed out and warmed to serve for lunch or dinner.
How-to video is on my youtube channel. Here it is below! Now get baking! MWAH!
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