Ken Haedrich’s Hand Pies Thread (apple pie filling; blueberry pie filling)

[BakerAunt]

Ken Haedrich's Hand Pies

I finally made this recipe

Video: How to Make Perfect Hand Pies

Ken uses mixed berries but I had some of my homemade apple filling thanks to Randy's recipe. So I made the food processor hand pie dough which is just enough for 8 hand pies. Chilled as 8 discs for 4 hours. It was obviously more fussy than just an apple pie but not too bad. His recipe calls for a glaze so I glazed half so we could taste test after dinner. I had put an egg wash and sparkling sugar on them before baking.

It was a reallllly tough decision but we like the glazed a bit more. Will be interesting to see how they are tomorrow.

Only note on recipe is that I made half the glaze and it was plenty for 8 pies.
posted by: dachshundlady on October 31, 2013 at 6:01 pm

reply by: PaddyL on October 31, 2013 at 11:14 pm
Have they always been called hand pies? We'd call them turnovers.

reply by: robinwaban on October 31, 2013 at 11:23 pm I think when I was a kid turnovers had a laminated dough vs. a hand pie which has more of a pie crust texture. I never had a hand pie until recently. I only had store bought Pop Tarts. What was I thinking?! I haven't had a Pop Tart in 20 years. I haven't missed them at ball.

reply by: wingboy on November 01, 2013 at 12:20 am
DL, is the dough one of Ken's? The hand pies look great!

reply by: dachshundlady on November 01, 2013 at 6:24 am
Yes, the pastry dough is one specifically for hand pies. Food processor made and just the right amount for 8. I think it helped that I have the precooked apple filling from Randy's recipe. And this morning? Still flakey despite filling and glaze. I'm in love . . .

reply by: wingboy on November 01, 2013 at 9:33 am
Nice!

reply by: frick on November 01, 2013 at 11:48 am
Yum! Good job.

reply by: bakeraunt on November 01, 2013 at 1:10 pm
OK, how do I get the recipe? I did go to the site, but I am not getting any sound on the video (which sometimes happens with his site, for me, anyway). Is the recipe for the crust in one of his cookbooks? Thanks!

reply by: dachshundlady on November 01, 2013 at 2:25 pm
It might be in his "Pie" book. I don't bother with the video. I scroll down to the recipe itself. No sound needed. And I wish Randy would post his simple stovetop recipe for apple filling. It's smaller pieces of apples, apple juice, sugar, cinnamon and clearjel. I still can't find recipes placed within posts on this site. Not user friendly.

reply by: bakeraunt on November 01, 2013 at 2:39 pm Thank you Dachshundlady! I did not realize that all I had to do was scroll down to get the recipe!

Now I will look for an apple pie filling. My husband brought back some apples when he was in the Midwest a couple of weeks ago, and hand pies would be perfect!

reply by: robinwaban on November 01, 2013 at 3:17 pm
DL - These look even better cut in half!! I am making them for granddaughter's first birthday party tomorrow. I have hand pie molds and wonder if I'll get the same results if I use them. I also thought of making star pops that were shown on the KAF site out of pie crust. They'd be bite size and so cute. Maybe for just me. I don't have time to remake them if they look horrible.

reply by: 4paws2go on November 01, 2013 at 3:35 pm
DL...I believe he explained the stovetop 'quickie' filling in a thread about 'Apple Uglies".
Laura

reply by: dachshundlady on November 01, 2013 at 3:36 pm
Ok, I'll transcribe Randy's filling recipe, It's about half what you'd need for an apple pie. You could make turnovers, hand pies or puff pastry creations.

Secret Apple Pie Filling(Stovetop)

1 pound apples(about 3 large apples)
2.5 oz. sugar(1/3 cup?)
1/2 teas Penzeys apple pie spice.(I use cinnamon) .
2 Tablespoons Clearjel (online or Amish grocery)
5 oz. apple juice (I used 1 cup as my apples aren't juicy)
1 Tablespoon lemon juice

Cut up apples in smaller pieces than for pie
Mix sugar, clearjel and spice in pan big enough to cook apples.
Add apple juice and stir to mix
Add apples
On medium heat bring to slight boil and cook until thickened.
Add lemon juice
Place back on heat 1 minute.

I store it in a quart canning jar.

I highly recommend clear jel. It is a modified cornstarch which does not break down if you heat it more than once. Order it now and keep in your cupboard to use in place of regular cornstarch.

reply by: dachshundlady on November 01, 2013 at 3:40 pm
Laura, my printed recipe sez " apple pie filling fo other things than pies"
Yes "fo"

I tried to find the thread (3/21/2010 by RandyD)
But no luck.

reply by: robinwaban on November 01, 2013 at 4:29 pm
All I have now is instant clear jel. Will this work if I use the apples next day?

reply by: dachshundlady on November 01, 2013 at 8:03 pm
Probably. I don't know how much tho.

reply by: karen_noll on November 02, 2013 at 7:48 am
DL--Those look delicious, definitely moving up to the top of the "TBB" list (To Be Baked). I think the dough is a slightly scaled down version of his Basic Flaky Pastry from the Pie book, but with a bit more butter added. I just had to buy the book after the success of the Fresh Tomato Tart (still dreaming about that one, LOL!). Good book, in case anyone else is considering it, but it only contains sweet pies. Hopefully, he's planning another one for savory pies.
Karen

reply by: Livingwell on November 03, 2013 at 7:48 pm
Oh YUM, DLady! Those look absolutely scrumptious, and I can even see the flakiness of the crust!

reply by: dachshundlady on November 04, 2013 at 6:46 am
These hand pies keep well, wrapped in foil, as Ken suggests. I gave the last one to the judge of our agility trial this weekend. I insisted it was not a bribe. But the boys did very well. Just sayin . . .

reply by: swirth on November 04, 2013 at 7:12 am
DL...a good reason you cannot find RandyD's stovetop apple pie filling recipe...yours is dated 3/21/10. We all learned of the new BC on 8/10/10 and they closed down the old BC at noon my time on 2/1/11.
I moved and posted a lot of RandyD's apple uglies and others of his apple adventures here so some of it does exist here but not all, of course. I even searched his blog last night and it is not there.

reply by: dachshundlady on November 04, 2013 at 4:39 pm
I suspected that swirth. I had printed it out and that is why I printed it here. I think he has a cherry one as well.

reply by: swirth on November 04, 2013 at 6:57 pm
Here are two of RandyD's cherry pie filling recipes:
-
http://bakingcirclefriends.blogspot.com/2011/02/morello-cherry-filing-re...

reply by: dachshundlady on November 04, 2013 at 7:34 pm
Thanks swirth. I hope to use the frozen recipe this winter. Maybe for the hand pies.

reply by: dachshundlady on November 06, 2013 at 6:08 am
I sent Ken an email with pix of the hand pies. He responded that you can keep the extra glaze for quite a while in the fridge and use on muffins, cookies etc.

reply by: dhoffman1 on November 06, 2013 at 12:20 pm
Am I the only person that does not have Randy's apple filling? Please tell me where I can find it.
Thanks
Darlene

reply by: swirth on November 06, 2013 at 1:00 pm
Darlene... the recipe is in this thread...just look back thru the posts and dachshundlady posted it.

reply by: frick on November 06, 2013 at 2:24 pm
It's right above in dachshundlady's post.

reply by: dachshundlady on November 07, 2013 at 6:27 am
If anyone would use it, I also have a long recipe I copied of Randy's Cherry filling for turnovers and such. It is dated Dec 15, 2008 and is in the thread "cherry pie baking temperature"

reply by: bakeraunt on November 15, 2013 at 11:16 pm
Dachshundlady--About how much filling did you need for eight hand pies?

Also, does anyone know if "Sure Jell" would work in place of the instant clear jel in the recipe? I cannot get it locally, and this is the weekend that I have time to try the recipe, using winesap apples that my husband brought back from Illinois.
Thanks, Bakeraunt

reply by: dachshundlady on November 16, 2013 at 5:43 am
It takes about 2 cups of filling since you use 1/4 cup per pie

As far as suregel, I don't know if you can sub that since it is pectin. I did learn, however, that you can use it to beat a drug test. Guess I've been hanging out on the wrong message boards LOL!

reply by: cwcdesign on November 16, 2013 at 8:13 am
Ha!

reply by: bakeraunt on November 16, 2013 at 9:13 am
Thanks Dachshundlady for the information--and the chuckle! I may have to use another filling recipe that uses another thickener.

reply by: robinwaban on November 16, 2013 at 9:43 am
I used instant clear jel. Didn't remember what the recipe called for, but mine came out just great. I tried to post the pics, but file was too big. Argh...

reply by: robinwaban on November 16, 2013 at 1:49 pm
This may clarify (or gel) different thickeners for some of you. It helped me.
http://www.everythingpies.com/clear-jel-clearjel-thicken-filling.html

reply by: bakeraunt on November 16, 2013 at 4:12 pm
Thanks, Robin. I have ordered the instant Clear Jel from King Arthur, since they have a special going, and I will wait to make the hand pies until it arrives. It's just as well, since my stepson is out of town this weekend, and it helps to have more people to eat these.

I did some internet searching and discovered that Kitchen Krafts sells bags of the regular Clear Jel, so I will keep that in mind for the future. Apparently, the Instant Clear Jel only works for one heating, whereas the regular Clear Jel can be re-heated more than once.

reply by: frick on November 16, 2013 at 4:30 pm
Right, the regular seems more versatile to me. I don't understand why KAF deleted it from their catalog. The instant is also not appropriate for the freezer.

reply by: robinwaban on November 16, 2013 at 4:58 pm
I agree. I also understand that regular Clear Jel is for canning. I, too, noticed a big difference in price buying from Prepared Pantry. But, it will take me a long time to use that much.

reply by: dachshundlady on July 21, 2014 at 3:47 pm
Pulling up this thread on hand pies for bakeraunt.

reply by: frick on July 21, 2014 at 7:42 pm
And for me. I have been afflicted with horrendous headaches for weeks, and maybe it's because I need an apple hand pie. Thanks for bringing it back up.

reply by: kathyd on July 21, 2014 at 9:09 pm
I need this information! Pie is something I want to accomplish in my new kitchen.

reply by: robinwaban on July 21, 2014 at 10:06 pm
Hi everyone ! Been away and can't sign in with my iPhone and sometimes have trouble with my iPad. So much for technology. Frick, sorry to hear you have been suffering from headaches. Wish I could help. I'd make you a pie if I could. When are you going to Spain? Was in LA for just 2 days on a whirlwind visit. Will probably be back in October as our son was just here last week. I'll keep trying to check in.

reply by: randyd on July 22, 2014 at 2:24 pm
I know this is an old post but DL those look super.

reply by: dachshundlady on July 22, 2014 at 4:46 pm
They are amazing Randy. And I've never made his mixed berry version. Just your canned apple pie filling.

reply by: frick on July 22, 2014 at 8:54 pm
Robin, we are leaving Sept. 29 and will be back Oct 13. Hope you will be here after that. Would hate to miss having a chance to kidnap you and take you down to Maria's (or here). Maybe we could all take surfing lessons, though preferably not in October.

reply by: omaria on July 23, 2014 at 9:41 am
Would love it if you guys could come here. No ocean close by, so surfing is out. Wine tasting is an option though. I will drive, cause I don't drink wine.

reply by: robinwaban on July 23, 2014 at 6:56 pm
Not quite sure when we'll be there. DH's 50th high school reunion is Oct 19, same day as our granddaughter's birthday. Our son can't understand why we'd want to go to the reunion that weekend and come the weekend before for granddaughter's BD. My husband says he only has one 50th reunion. We hope to go to many of our granddaughter's birthday.

reply by: frick on July 24, 2014 at 2:54 am
Well, I get it. It's hard to miss a b'day but there will be one every year & there's only one 50th reunion. I've no interest in any of mine but I am in the minority. We've made it back to Austin for most of the birthdays, though not all of them. We will miss this year because of Spain, but that dear GS will be 13 & the party thing is old hat. Our assistance is not quite as necessary, though last year dear GD wanted PIES for her b'day. DD needed help with that . . . she had a Groupon for a gourmet pie from a fancy local bakery. I almost fainted at the cost. The chocolate pie I made was hands down the favorite. There'll be no more encores for the bakery . . .

reply by: robinwaban on July 25, 2014 at 8:07 am
Pretty soon I can be in 2 places. Lost 15 pounds so I can regain it on vacation! We're taking a cruise to Alaska. First "real" vacation for us. We drove to NY last year for a 4 day cruise to Bermuda. That was over before we even blinked! But, speaking of chocolate. I made those Choco Buzz cakes. Oh my, they came out great. I didn't even lick my fingers. Can you believe it? I tried to post a pic, but my pictures show upside down only personal page. Will try again later. Have a great time in Spain if we don't talk before. I'd also love to see Ria. Hopefully I can get away when I go in October.

reply by: buttercup on July 25, 2014 at 8:40 am
Great looking pies Dlady, I will have to try them in the fall. Thanks for posting the recipe. 🙂

reply by: bakeraunt on July 28, 2014 at 1:31 pm
OK, I broke down and ordered the ClearJel. Now I need to see if I can adapt Ken's mixed berry recipe for blueberries.

reply by: randyd on July 28, 2014 at 6:23 pm
You might want to try this recipe without the final canning. Then if you like it you can can the next batch.

This is at the University of Georgia National canning center.

http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can_02/can_pie/blueberry_filling.html

reply by: bakeraunt on July 28, 2014 at 6:34 pm
Thanks Randy. That's more sugar than I usually use. The blueberries we get at a local place are sweet. For 6 Cups in a pie, I use only 3/4 C. of sugar. If I reduce the sugar, would I also reduce the ClearJel? I know that I did not use enough instant ClearJel in the pie I made last week (2 Tbs.) and will increase it by at least 1 Tbs. next time.

reply by: bakeraunt on August 16, 2014 at 2:16 am
Today I made the hand pies using Ken's crust and the blueberry pie filling that Randy recommended. I made the filling this morning and refrigerated it until I was ready to assemble the pies early this evening. They look wonderful, and the smell was heavenly. We leave to return to Texas tomorrow, so we will be munching them all the way home. Thanks to Dachshundlady and Randy for their help.

reply by: dachshundlady on August 16, 2014 at 7:15 pm
It's a great recipe, regardless of filling. I have also made them with my homemade canned Concord grape pie filling.

reply by: buttercup on October 17, 2014 at 9:26 am
Dlady, I made the pies this past week end and they were great. I used Randy's filling that you posted for us. We (DH and I) ate them for 4 days. I thought they were still good, the fourth day the icing was breaking down a bit, and the dough a little softer, but still better than store bought. My DS loves Comstock cherry pie filling, how do you think that would work. Randy's cherry pie filling sounds great but the price of the cherries is a little steep. I love the apple but might try a few with the Comstock cherry to see how they turn out. Thanks for posting the recipes for us.

reply by: robinwaban on October 17, 2014 at 10:00 am
I have since purchased a video from Ken. It was well done, but I could have stuck to just visiting his site. I'm not a great pie baker, but I was helped. Normally, I just mix everything together when I'm ready, but Ken's approach is to refrigerate the flour ahead of time for about an hour. I guess I'm lazy. I just want to mix and stick in fridge for a few hours until I can roll out the dough. I made his hand pies last year and they were great. Not as pretty as DHL's. I posted a pic as well. Have all my pie crusts ready to go for Thanksgiving.

reply by: buttercup on October 17, 2014 at 7:02 pm
I didn't watch his video, so I didn't refrigerate the flour first, although I did let the dough sit in the fridge overnight and they were great. I want to make some now, but my waist said "don't you dare". So I'll wait as long as I can hold out.lol

Spread the word

      

  

  

[Author]

Posts