Strawberry Cream Cheese Hand Pies

Yet another cold and rainy day here in Maine today, I'm needing the warmth of the wood stove, or better yet, the oven!  I have fresh strawberries and cream cheese in the fridge, I think some Strawberry Cream Cheese Hand Pies are in order.  A tender light and flaky crust wrapping itself around a not to sweet filling of strawberries and cream cheese, with a hint of lemon.  Oh yeah, this days getting better already!  

 Ingredients

Recipe makes 12  3-1/2" pies

For the strawberry filling...

1 Tablespoon butter

2 cups fresh strawberries , sliced

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 Tablespoon all purpose flour,sifted

For the cream cheese filling...

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon lemon zest

1 large egg yolk

For the crust...

2 cups all purpose flour

2 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound unsalted butter (2 sticks) cold, cut into small cubes

1 large egg

3 Tablespoons cold milk

1 egg for egg wash

coarse sugar, optional 

1.   Prepare the filling first.  Place butter in a medium saucepan on medium, heat until butter starts to brown.  Add strawberries, lemon juice and sugar.  Stir to incorporate and bring to a low simmer.  Cook 5 minutes until strawberries have released their juices.  Remove pan from burner and cool completely.  Add flour and stir to combine.  Spread the mixture into a large 

plate and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.

  

2.   In a small bowl, whisk cream cheese, sugar, lemon zest and egg yolk until smooth.  Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.

3.   In a bowl of a food processor, combine flour, sugar, and salt.  Pulse several times to mix.  Add cold butter cubes and pulse only until pea sized lumps remain.  In a small bowl beat together, the egg and milk and add to the dry ingredients and pulse until moisture is introduced throughout all of the flour mixture.  Do not over process. Transfer flour mixture to a lightly floured work surface, and gather mixture together until it forms a ball.  Divide evenly in half and shape into a disk.  Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

 4.  Remove one disk from the refrigerator and on a well floured surface, roll the dough out to an 11-1/2X11-1/2" square, shy of 1/8" thick.  Using a 3 1/2" square cookie cutter, a pastry wheel or a knife work well also, cut out 9 squares.  Gather together scraps and set aside.  Do the same with the other disk.  Take your leftover scraps and combine into a disk, roll and cut and repeat until you have a total of 24 squares.

In a small bowl, beat remaining egg with 1 Tbs. of water, brush 1/2 of the squares all over with the egg wash.

Spoon about a teaspoon of cream cheese mixture and a teaspoon of the strawberries in the middle of each egg washed square, don't over fill.  Top with the second (unwashed) piece of dough and press all around with your finger, or the tines of a fork.  With a sharp knife poke a few small holes on top to vent steam.  Brush top of each pie with egg wash and if desired, sprinkle with coarse sugar.  Place tarts on a parchment lined baking sheet and chill.

 5.   Heat oven to 375° let the tarts rest in the refrigerator while the oven preheats.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a light golden brown on top.  Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly, then remove from pan to a wire rack.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!

For more fresh fruit recipes, click the links below.

Lavender and Lovage

 What Kate Baked 

Gingerbread Baby Cakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

I remember making Gingerbread cupcakes as a child in grade school,  proudly carrying  my box of freshly made cakes to a special school day function and being able to say, “I made these myself”.   Gingerbread always sparks a warm and cozy feeling in me.  A hot cup of tea with a slice of spicy Gingerbread by a warm fire… ok, I want some now!

These lovely moist and delicious Ginger Baby Cakes have an unusual ingredient, Cola, the caramel flavor compliments the molasses and brown sugar and when topped with a Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting, they are pure Heaven!  This recipe makes 1 dozen personal sized cakes.  Double the recipe and it makes one 8 inch 3 layer cake.

Ingredients

For the cake...

1/2 cup cola

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup molasses

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tablespoon ground ginger

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 stick plus 4 Tbs. (12 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted

2 medium eggs

candied ginger for garnish, optional

1.   Preheat oven to 350°  Butter a medium sized cupcake pan (12 cupcakes) and lightly flour.  Dump excess flour out of pan.  

2.   Bring cola to a boil in a heavy medium sized saucepan.  Remove from heat;  whisk in baking soda, then molasses.  Transfer to a large bowl and cool to room temperature.

 

3.   Whisk sugar, melted butter and eggs into molasses mixture, blend well.  Measure into a sifter, the flour and the next 6 ingredients.  Whisk dry ingredients slowly into molasses mixture.  Blend until smooth. 

4.   Scoop batter into cupcake pan, filling 3/4 full.

5.   Bake cupcakes for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.  Remove pan from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes.  Carefully remove cupcakes from pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

For the frosting...

8 ounce package of full fat cream cheese, room temperature

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup confectioners sugar, sifted

1 lemon, grated

1.  With an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix butter on medium high speed about 2 minutes.  Beat until butter looks white.  Remove from bowl and set aside.

 2.   In the same bowl, beat the cream cheese, until smooth, add the butter and mix together until smooth and creamy.  Add lemon zest and confectioners sugar and mix until creamy, don't over mix.

3.  Frost cooled cupcakes as desired.  Dice optional candies ginger and sprinkle on top for garnish.

For more yummy recipes click the link below

Lavender and Lovage