Apple hand pies

Cook: 25 mins

These are just the cutest apple tarts ever – an individual pie for everyone. They’re sweet Cornish pasties and you don’t even need to go down the mines to merit one! You can use any filling for these beauties. Sultanas work well in the apple ones, or try rhubarb and strawberry, blackberry and apple or peach and raspberry. As with Cornish pasties, these travel well in lunchboxes once they’re wrapped up.

Caster sugar, to decorate

4 Bramley apples

2 eating apples (such as Cox Pippin or Golden Delicious)

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tbsp light brown sugar

2 tbsp water

1 tsp butter

½ tsp mixed spice

1 batch shortcrust pastry

1 egg, beaten

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.

Peel and chop all of the apples into cubes. Place in a medium saucepan with the lemon zest, sugar, water, butter and mixed spice. Cook gently, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 10 minutes, until the apples are fairly broken down. Leave to cool.

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Use a saucer or similar-sized cutter to trace out the circle shape of the pies.

Fill half of each circle with 2 or 3 teaspoons of apple, leaving a border around the edge. Fold over the pastry to make a semi-circle, then pinch the edges together or press with a fork. Brush with the beaten egg and sprinkle caster sugar over each pie.

Bake for 25–30 minutes, until golden. Leave to cool on a wire rack or serve warm.

Serves
Makes 8 pies

Cooking Time
25 minutes

Main ingredients
Fruit

Recipe Type
Cakes & Baking, Dessert, Cake Stall, Pies

Special Info
Nut free

Level of Difficulty
Medium