Monday, July 1, 2013

July ABC challenge: Blueberry Hand Pies


I've been anxiously awaiting this challenge.  I didn't dare make the whole recipe because I know I'd plow through all 8 pies in about two days.  I halved it, but in order to roll out a reasonable shape (7" x 14" would be difficult) I ended up with 3 pies instead of 4.

I decided to play with the filling a little.  One of the things I really like about blueberries is their "cool" taste, which is why I'm not big on pairing them with lemon, a common partner but a very "warm" and bright taste. So I got onto the Food Pairing web site and found that blueberries supposedly pair well with a number of interesting flavors.  Seeking to retain the coolness, I chose cardamon and fresh thyme and I'm really happy with the results.  The filling has a very earthy, woodsy taste -- exactly what I was looking for.

Some people on the KA site complained that there wasn't enough filling and that what was there bubbled over.  I ended up with too much filling, and it didn't spill out at all.  I used corn starch instead of the ClearJel, and my berries were somewhat dry, so maybe that made the difference.  I thought the filling texture turned out perfectly.

Awaiting trial by fire.

For the pastry, I substituted full-fat Greek-style yogurt for the sour cream (because I had it) -- it worked fine, I think.  The pastry could have been a little more flaky, but we've having a heat wave and it was SO hot in the kitchen while I was rolling it out; I think it melted all the butter into the flour.  It was still good and nicely crisp on the outside.  I would have liked just a little more salt in it, I think.  (Always with the salt -- too much, too little...)

Conclusion:  These were very good, but a little fussy, and I'm not sure worth the extra effort.  I'd be just as happy with simple turnovers made with standard pie crust, although these are a little more festive and might be nice for a special occasion.  (They're also a lot more rich, since they use sour cream instead of ice water.)

Recipe:  Blueberry Hand Pies via King Arthur Flour