Easy Peach Hand Pies

This perfect homemade peach hand pie is flakey, fruity, and the perfect summer snack that will leave your guest reaching for seconds!

Ingredients

For the Pastry

• 2½ cups (350g) All-Purpose Flour (plus extra for rolling out the dough)

• 2 tbsp (20g) Sugar, Powder

• ⅛ tsp Salt

• 1 cup (226g) Unsalted Butter (cold), cut into small cubes

• ½ cup (115g) Sour Cream/Greek Yogurt

• 2 tsp Lemon Juice

• 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

• ⅓ cup Water, ice-cold

For the Filling

• 2 ½ cups (560) Peaches, canned

• 2 tbsp (28g) Light Brown Sugar

• ¼ tsp Cinnamon Powder

• ⅛ tsp Nutmeg, Freshly grated

• 1 tsp Lemon Juice, fresh

• ½ tsp Vanilla Extract

• ⅛ tsp Salt

• ¾  cup Sugar Syrup, from the can

• 1½ tbsp Cornstarch

To Finish

• 1 Egg 

• 1 tbsp Milk

• 3 tbsp Thick Granulated Sugar

Method

1. To a bowl add the flour, powdered sugar, and salt. Give it a quick whisk till well combined. 

2. Cut the cold butter into small cubes.

3. Place the flour mixture on a clean work surface and move it away from the center to create a well. 

4. Add the cold-cut butter in the center of the flour. Using a bench scraper or a pastry cutter, cover the butter pieces with the flour. Now start cutting into the butter and the flour till you get a crumb-like texture.

5. Add the cold sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to a measuring cup or a bowl.  Give them a whisk to combine.  Add the ice-cold water and whisk once again.

6. Once again create a well in the center of the flour and butter mixture and pour the liquid into it.  Using the bench scraper combine the two.

7. Now using your hands, very gently press it together to form a dough. Cut the dough into two, wrap them in plastic wrap, and then flatten them a bit, this will make it easier to roll out later on.  Now, place the pastry dough disks in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to an hour. This will help to let the dough relax and the butter firm up.

8. In the meantime, you can make the filling.  Cut the peach slices into three pieces each and then place them in a pot. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon powder, freshly grated nutmeg, freshly squeezed lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir to combine.

9. In a measuring jug, measure two cups of the sugar syrup and add the cornstarch. Whisk till well combined. Pour the slurry into the pot with the peaches.

10. On medium-high, cook the peaches till the liquid thickens. Empty it in a bowl, cover it with a plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator to cool. It will thicken and set at the same time.

11. When you are ready to make the hand pies, remove the dough and the filling from the refrigerator, and let them sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes.

12. In that time, you can prepare the egg wash.  Beat the egg in a small bowl add the milk and whisk till combined.  Keep it aside for later.

13. Now sprinkle some flour on a clean work surface and place the dough on it. Sprinkle a little more flour on top of the dough then put a parchment paper on top before rolling the dough.  This will prevent the rolling pin from sticking to the dough. 

14. Gently roll the dough till you make it about ⅛” thick. Place a little flour in one corner of your work surface and using a 4½” cookie cutter, cut as many circles as you can. You can gently press together and re-roll the dough that is left behind.

15. Now take one cut-out circle and fold it over to get the midpoint.  Put a spoon-full of cold filling from the center toward one side of the circle.  Brush the egg wash all around the circumference of the circle and then gently take the opposite end of the dough and pull it over the filling to cover it.  Press it down with your fingers to seal it.  For the traditional method, a fork is your friend, dip it into some flour to prevent it from sticking to the dough, and then keep pressing it down the edge of the hand pies to seal.  Place the pies on a lined baking sheet.  Cut three slits on the top of the hand pies to allow the steam to escape. 

16. For a lovely golden look, brush the hand pies with an even coat of egg wash. Sprinkle some thick granulated sugar on the top for a little crunch. Repeat the process till you have made all the hand pies.

17. Place the hand pies in a preheated oven at 375F / 190C and bake them for approximately 20-25 minutes or until the pastry has turned flaky and the pies have turned golden in colour.

18. Allow the pies to cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes before enjoying them.