These cute little pies are from Desert for breakfast, home of outstanding photography that’ll either make you give away your camera and never take another photo again or it’ll inspire you to see light in a whole new way and instill an undying desire and passion to learn how to take photos of light half as nice as she does.  someday, in the distant future…

 

 

 

 

I made the pie crust up in advance. Look at the pieces of butter and cheese in there!

 

I used a metal bowl for my circles. Re-roll the scraps, there’s enough butter in this dough, it’ll be fine.

 

It was warm, so I put the dough circles on a cookie sheet separated with plastic wrap and tucked in in the fridge while I prepared the apples.

 

Slice up  the apples

 

and mix with cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar and lemon juice.

 

Get out the dough circles and hold one up to the light and admire the pretty patters the butter and cheese are making. Then quickly get to work.

 

Spoon on some apple filling

 

fold in half and pinch together.

 

Sometimes they’re sneaky and pop open when you’re not looking so Use a fork to crimp the edges shut.

 

 

 

Brush with beaten egg. 

 

Sprinkle with sugar 

 

and cut little vents before baking.

 

Take them out when they’re golden. Let cool before serving.

 

mmm, too much of a good thing,

is a good thing.

 

 

Apple Cheddar Hand Pies

Totally inspired by Deserts for breakfast

    2 1/2 cups whole wheat organic pastry flour
    a pinch of salt
    1/4 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
    2 sticks unsalted butter, cold or just out of the freezer is even better
    1/3 cup ice water
    6 or 8 apples
    3 Tbsp lemon juice
    1/4 cup brown sugar
    4 tsp  cinnamon
    1/8 tsp ground cloves
    1 egg beaten for brushing
     sugar for sprinkling o top

1. Combine the flour and salt in a bowl.
2.  grate the cheese. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the cheese and frozen butter pieces into the flour until the size of small peas.
3. Gradually add the water one tablespoon at a time until the dough barely holds together when pressed. Do not add any more water than necessary!
4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or make ahead.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Peel, and chop the apples into small pieces. Mix the apples with the lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves.
6. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

7. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll it out to about 1/8" thick. Cut out 5 inch circles. I used a couple different bowls as my cutters. Chill the dough circles in the refrigerator or freezer briefly if the dough has softened.

Fill each circle with apples and fold in half. Press the edges together tightly, crimping with a fork. Cut small slits on the top of each pie.

8. Before baking, brush the tops of the pies with beaten egg. Sprinkle with sugar.
9. Bake at 450 degrees F for five minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 15 more minutes, until the crust is golden.
Let cool  before serving.