Strawberry Hand Pies

My mom has been inspiring lots of different recipe ideas. She even came up with a new blog name, more on that later . . . maybe. While she was at the store, she got me some fresh berries to bake with. I toyed with lots of different ideas - pies, cupcakes, cakes, muffins - the list goes on and on. I settled on a hand pie - everything you love in a pie, in a portable form.

These are pretty simple. First whip up the strawberry filling. Once done, place in the freezer, just so berries are more stable during prepping and baking.

While the strawberries are chilling, make the pie dough. Don't be scared of this dough. All you need are your hands and patience. Once the flour and butter/shortening combine into small pellets, add ice cold water and vinegar mixture and mix until a workable dough forms. The dough is now ready to be rolled and shaped with no need for additional chilling.

I initially decided on a half moon design for pies, but then switched to mini circular pies - my mom's idea :)

Once pies are assembled, bake until golden brown. These sweet treats are great straight from the oven or at room temperature.

Strawberry Hand Pies Adapted from Vegan Pie in the Sky

Makes 12 pies

Ingredients

Strawberry Filling

• 1 pound fresh strawberries
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Juice of one lemon

Pie Dough

• 2   1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt

• 3 tbsp sugar

• 1/2 cup Earth Balance buttery stick, cold
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance shortening, cold

• 6 tbsp ice cold water
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Strawberry Filling

Combine all ingredients (strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla and lemon juice) in small bowl. Place in freezer while preparing pie dough.

Pie Dough

Fill measuring cup with 2 cups of ice and fill with water. Set aside.

Combine flour and salt in large bowl. Add sugar and combine. Cut butter and shortening into tablespoons and place in bowl with flour. Use your fingers to combine butter/shortening with flour, it should take 3 - 5 minutes. Butter/shortening and flour are combined when the two resemble small pellets and no large chunks of butter remain. When you press the mixture in your hand it should hold together.

Pour 4 tablespoons of ice cold water in small bowl. Add apple cider vinegar. Pour mixture by tablespoons into flour mixture. Mix with hands after each addition. Once dough holds together it is ready. Add extra cold water if dough does not hold.

Split dough in two. While rolling first piece of dough, place other half in refrigerator.

Assembly

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Roll dough on floured surface. Cut out 3" diameter circles. With one circle, use your fingers to moisten edge of dough. Put about one tablespoon of fruit filling in center. Top with other dough circle, closing the two circles with moistened fingers. To ensure two circles combine, press edges with fork. Cut slits in top of pie.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.