Raspberry Rhubarb Hand Pies
It's June!!! Which means summer in the Northern Hemisphere is about to begin!!!! I'm so happy!!!! Summer!!!! Finally!!!!!!!
Please. Give me a second. I need to calm down.
So anyway. Raspberry rhubarb hand pies. How good does that sound, eh?
I mean, nothing quite says summer like berries. And pies. And pies filled with berries. And since I very calmly mentioned a minute ago that summer is beginning, now is the perfect time for all the pies filled with berries. Specifically, it's the time for these raspberry rhubarb pies. In adorable, individual form.
Why hand pies, specifically?
Because your typical 9” round pie baked in a pie dish can be quite complicated to make. Even I'm scared of those. Don't get me started on lattice-topped pies. Cuz I've never even attempted one.
And pies are also hard to transfer. Cuz they're just stuck there in the pie dish. And they're also difficult to travel with. Not the most transport-friendly things, whole pies are. And, whole pies also require knives and forks and plates to be sliced and consumed.
Whole pies are so high maintenance ugh.
Enter hand pies. Pies held in the hand. Omitting the need for any type of pie dish. Or cutlery whatsoever.
These hand pies are travel-friendly. They're small and cute and easy to eat. And they're SO perfect for summer picnics, cuz who wants to schlep forks and knives and plates and pie dishes to a picnic? Nobody.
Now, these berry hand pies aren't the quickest dessert to make. I'll admit that.
Cuz you gotta make the pie dough. And then chill the dough. And then roll out the dough. And then cut the dough. And then make the fruit filling. And then fill the dough with the raspberry-rhubarb filling. And then seal the dough. And then bake the pies.
BUT. They're worth it. WORTH IT.
Why are they worth the effort?
Because of the flaky, crispy, perfect pie crust encasing the fruit. A vodka pie crust, yielding the crispiest, flakiest, crunchiest layers.
And because of the bright, tart, fresh, sweet raspberry-rhubarb filling cocooned inside the vodka pie crust.
And because these raspberry rhubarb hand pies give you all the benefits of a summer berry pie in individual, travel-friendly, no-utensils-necessary, perfect-for-a-picnic form.
Give summer a proper welcome. Show some respect. Make these raspberry rhubarb hand pies.
Raspberry Rhubarb Hand Pies
Yield: about 20 hand pies
Pie Crust:
2 ½ cups flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 oz.) cold butter, cubed
4 tablespoons ice water
3-4 tablespoons cold vodka (can sub water)
Fruit Filling:
2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)
1 ½ cups sliced rhubarb (fresh or frozen)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-Egg, for brushing
-Turbinado/raw sugar, for sprinkling
1. Crust: In a food processor, pulse together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add in the cubed butter and pulse a few times until butter is in pea-sized clumps. Do not pulse till smooth.
3. Add in the water and 3 tablespoons vodka and pulse a couple more times until dough is crumbly again but not smooth. If the dough sticks together when pressed between fingers, there’s enough liquid. If it’s too dry, add 1 tablespoon more vodka.
4. Divide dough into two. Pack each piece of dough together with your hands and wrap in plastic wrap or parchment paper. Flatten the doughs into disks and place into fridge for 40 minutes or freezer for 25 minutes. While chilling, prepare filling.
5. Filling: Slice rhubarb into 1/2-inch thick pieces and place into medium bowl. Toss with the raspberries, cornstarch, and sugar very gently. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla extract. Let filling sit 10 minutes while rolling out dough.
6. Preheat oven to 375 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Flour work surface and rolling pin.
7. Keep the second dough in the freezer while working with the first one. Roll out first piece of dough into a thin, but not transparent, rectangle. Cut the edges with a knife to make a straight rectangle. Then, cut the rectangle into 6 to 9 even sized rectangles.
8. Strain the fruit mixture well. Using a slotted spoon, drop a spoonful of the fruit mixture onto the center of one rectangle. Place another rectangle over the mixture and press the four edges of the two rectangles together to seal well.
9. Repeat process with the rest of the first dough, re-rolling dough and cutting new rectangles as necessary. Then, repeat with second piece of dough.
10. Space out hand pies onto prepared baking sheets. Crimp the edges of each hand pie with a fork. Slice an ‘x’ shape or a few diagonal lines into the centers of the hand pies. Brush tops with a beaten egg and sprinkle with raw sugar.
11. Bake hand pies until they’re golden brown and fruit juices are bubbling, about 22-26 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature.
