Ingredients
Filling:
1/4 cup Corn Starch
1/4 cup Water or Cherry Juice
1 pound Fresh Cherries, pitted
3/4 cup Sugar
1/2 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
1/8 teaspoon Almond Extract
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
Pastry:
2 cups All Purpose Flour
3/4 teaspoon Kosher Sea Salt
13 Tablespoons (1 stick + 5 tablespoons)Unsalted Butter
5-8 Tablespoons (or more) ice water
Glaze:
2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla
1 Tablespoon + 2 teaspoons Water
1/2 teaspoon Almond Extract
Prepare
FOR THE FILLING:
Dissolve corn starch in water and set aside.
Combine remaining filling ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium to medium low heat until juicy. Stirring frequently to prevent burning.
whisk in corn starch slurry and continue to heat until thick and the mixture goes from milky to deep red.
FOR THE PASTRY:
Wisk together flour and salt.
Cut fat into the flour mixture until fully incorporated into a shaggy dough.
Add ice water a tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together.
Line a baking sheet with baking parchment.
Roll dough and cut into 12+ rounds or squares. I cut with a 4" round tartlet pan.
Brush the edge of a one round with water.
Spoon in a heaping tablespoon of cherry filling and fold pastry over filling.
Press edges and place onto the prepared cooking sheet.
Crimp completely with a fork and poke a vent hole in pastry. Some filling may seep out in the crimping process or during baking.
Bake at 375 for 18-22 minutes.
Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before glazing.
FOR THE GLAZE:
Wisk together all the glaze ingredients until smooth.
Arrange completely cooled hand pies bottom side up on on a cooling rack and brush with glaze.
Allow to set until dry, at least 20 minutes.
Turn pies over and repeat glazing of the tops of the pies.
Allow to air dry for at least one hour before packing up. I typically will put the hand pies in a cool oven overnight before packing up.
