Organization Dilemmas
“Liza’s little round face grew redder and redder. She organized and ordered. The kitchen stove never went out.”
East of Eden, John Steinbeck
Inspiration
I have always been proud of my organization skills. When my possessions and treasures have a specific place I feel better about my personal environment. This is especially true in the kitchen. I am delighted when I know what is in my pantry or freezer and where it is located. Taking inventory and locating ingredients before the next shopping trip is so much faster and less frustrating. This week I organized and then went shopping. When I came home I crammed everything in the freezer and pantry without any thought of the time I had just spent organizing. I realized this is my style of organization and a pattern of behavior that might “possibly” be frustrating for those who share the kitchen with me. I’m astonished at my habits and method of organization in the kitchen. When you return from shopping, do you have have the discipline and time to organize everything as you put it away?
During my freezer rearranging I found a package of Bing cherries from last summer’s trip to the orchard. The icy spheres were buried under the powdered sugar and containers of pesto. I roasted some of the cherries with brown sugar and mixed them with cherry jam to fill the Hand Pies. I also used some of the dough to make pockets filled with leftover lemon curd and others with Muscat grape jelly.
Essentials
Hand Pies can be made with pie crust dough or Pate Brisee. Pate Brisee is similar to an American pie crust dough with egg yolks included in the wet ingredients. I used Chef Andre Adams recipe from the Baking and Pastry Arts Program at Monterey Peninsula College. The ingredients are measured by weighing on a scale to obtain consistent results with baked products. A buttery, flaky crust envelopes a sweet fruit filling for a charming spring treat. The cherry and lemon curd Hand Pies yielded the best results. The Muscat grape jelly melted out of the seams of the tiny pockets; leaving the buttery dough with a whisper of grape jelly.
| Pate Brisee | |||
| 2 | egg yolks | ||
| 150-200gr/5-6oz | ice cold water | ||
| 510gr | all-purpose flour | ||
| 50gr | sugar | ||
| 10gr | salt | ||
| 266gr/8oz | cold unsalted butter | Cherry Filling | |
| 2C/16oz | frozen pitted cherries | ||
| 1T | brown sugar | ||
| 10oz | cherry jam | ||
| 1/2t | almond extract | ||
| 1t | cornstarch | ||
| 1 | egg |
- Mix together the eggs yolks and 150gr/5oz of cold water, set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment mix together the flour, sugar and salt. Cut the cold butter into cubes and add to dry ingredients. Mix until butter is the size of small coins: pennies, dimes and nickels. With the mixer on low speed add the egg yolk mixture to the dry ingredients. The dough should come together in large clumps. Add cold water, a tablespoon at a time if the dough is too dry. Do not over mix. Scrape the dough out on floured work surface. With as little handling as possible bring the dough together into a flattened circle. Wrap in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for at least one hour.
- While the dough chills roast the cherries. Heat the oven to 425°. Line a sheet pan with parchment. Mix the cherries with the brown sugar and scatter across the surface of the sheet pan. Roast for 10-15 minutes until the cherries just begin to release their juice. Cool the cherries and then mix together with the jam and almond extract. Sieve the cornstarch over the top of the bowl and mix again.
- To make the Hand Pies, preheat oven to 375°. Line a large sheet pan with parchment. Make an egg wash by mixing an egg and 1T of water, set aside.
- With a floured rolling pin, on a floured work surface roll out the dough in a large square. As needed, add small amount of flour to the surface when rolling out the dough. Roll out until the dough is approximately 1/8″ thick. Cut the dough into rectangles. My Cherry Hand pies were 6 x 3-1/2″. Gather the scraps together and roll out again to make more hand pies. In the middle of half of the rectangles place 3–4 Tablespoons of the cherry filling. Leave an edge of 1/2″ to seal the Hand Pie. Moisten the edge of each filled rectangle with the prepared egg wash. Place a second rectangle of dough on top of each of the filled rectangles. With the tines of a fork seal all four edges of the Hand Pies. I used cookie cutters to cut shapes from the dough scraps to decorate my hand pies; totally optional. The backs of the decorative elements are brushed with the egg wash and gently pressed onto the hand pies. Lightly brush the tops of each Hand Pie with egg wash just before baking.
- Bake: For 18–23 minutes. The hand pies will puff a bit and be a light golden brown on the edges when done. Cool slightly before serving.
Don’t you just love making these? I love them because I can make my own filling flavors, depending on my mood.
It seems like every 2 to 3 months, I’m organizing my ever growing cabinets of food styling props. My cabinets are bursting at the seams. I need to get rid of some stuff, I suppose. My pantry is the same way, with all sorts of flours, sugar, nuts, etc. I need to find a better way to organize. Wanna come over and do it for me? LOL!
daisy
Oh heavens! It seems every time I return from shopping I have another organization project! Thank you for commenting Daisy!
These are so cute and they look and sound totally delicious!
Thank you for the delicious comment Rosie!
Deb, I love that you took the time to roast the cherries before adding them to the pies. Roasting brings out the best in everything. Hand pies always seem so romantic to me. Something I would want to find in a picnic basket while stretched out on a blanket with my hubby as the sun is setting.
A picnic sounds so delicious! Thank you for the scrumptious comment Mary!
These hand pies are very sweet-I especially like the look of the cherry filling-will most definitely have to try my ‘hand’ at making hand pies this year 😉
Thank you for the tasty comment Patty!
These pies are too cute! Love how you decorated them, using cookie cutters. I love pies filled with cherries!
Thank you for the tasty comment Julia!
Organization? What’s that? Actually, I’m not that bad. I have to stay on top of things or I cannot find what I need when I need it. This falls apart when it comes to my fridge. The only things that seems to get marked are leftover egg yolks and whites because I actually use them. The rest seems to languish in there until I take pity on it. Lovely hand pies! One of my favorite treats. What a score on finding those cherries you’d saved!
Thank you Kelly! I feel sooo much better after reading your comment!
What a lovely treat, Deb! There’s something so special about individual little pies. You put your newly discovered cherries to good use! I just poked around our freezer in the garage this afternoon to re-acquaint myself with all that is tucked in there. I always mean to organize it better, then I throw things in and promise I’ll organize later! Happy spring to you!
Thank you for your tasty comment Hannah! I’m so pleased to hear I’m not the only one with freezer discoveries!
How fun!! You make hand pies look so approachable! I love baking and have never tried making a treat like this, so I’m excited to try something new. I’ll make these with my mom next time I visit home!
Thank you for the tasty comment Julia! Hand Pies are easy to make!
Oh my these looks scrumptious! Fun to find things in the freezer. I love pie, homemade even more and to think a hand pie .. I wish you would deliver!
Thank you for your tasty comment Orly!
Absolutely adorable, Deb!
Thank you for your delicious comment Viviane!
We could easily be sisters. I organize then disorganize….and get mad at myself. But there are some things that absolutely don’t move position – my large hole grater, my hand whisk – those are always ‘en place’.
I do love the surprise though, the treasures that lay forgotten…..to be discovered later, like your cherries. Especially when they are ‘well’…..and still in useable form.
I love hand pies, there’s something so comforting about snacking on them.
Thank you for your kind words Oz, sometimes I feel like I’m running about without a plan! LOL
These look so pretty, I love pies but never thought to make them in such a way! What a fab idea, perfect for parties!
Thank you for the tasty comment Jen!
A great idea to use up the remains of last year’s frozen fruits – I have so many blueberries still! Thanks for sharing – they do look tasty!
Blueberries sound scrumptious! Thank you for commenting Cathy!
Deb:
These pies are as cute as something can be…And of course, quite delicious!!!!!!
Thank you or the scrumptious comment Denise!
I love hand pies, these are just beautiful!
Thank you for the sweet comment Laura!
Wow Deb, lemon curd and cherries, it´s an extraordinary pair! I have some frozen cherries from the summer so that the winter will not be all grey and gloomy. Now I don´t know if I should make these handpies or your cherry brownies…
I wish I was organized all the time. It´s sporadic and I also feel so good with myself when I do.
So glad I am not the only sporadic organizer! Thank you for the delicious comment Paula!
These are adorable! Fun and whimsical – perfect for baking during school holidays.
Thank you for your delicious comment Lynda!
So pretty and so springy! That pastry looks amazingly flaky and buttery, too.
Thank you Carol! Happy Spring!