These peach hand pies with bourbon glaze are a great summer dessert. Make the homemade pastry crust in the food processor and fill pockets of dough with fresh peach filling. The bourbon glaze sends them over the top.
2sticksunsalted butter1 cup, cut into half inch pieces -- very cold
2tablespoonsvegetable shorteninglike Crisco, very cold
5-8tablespoonsice water
FOR THE PEACH BOURBON FILLING
4largeripe peaches, peeled, pitted and diced
2tablespoonsbrown sugar
2 ½tablespoonsbourbondivided
1tablespoonarrowroot powder(if you don't have arrowroot powder you can mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of the bourbon and stir it in at the end of the cooking until it thickens.).
FOR SEALING AND FINISHING THE HAND PIES
1egglightly beaten
¼cupcream
¼cupdemeraraor sparkling sugar
FOR THE BOURBON GLAZE
1cuppowdered sugar
2tablespoonsbourbonor cream -- bourbon adds flavor, cream makes it sweeter - your choice!
Instructions
MAKE THE FOOD PROCESSOR PIE DOUGH
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the dry ingredients and pulse a few times to mix. Add the butter and shortening and pulse in short bursts, 15 to 20 times until the shortening is cut into the flour and is no bigger than small peas. Add 3 tablespoons of ice water and pulse 5-6 times. Add 2 more tablespoons and pulse 2-3 times. Start to check the consistency of the dough, it should hold together when you pinch it between two fingers without being overly crumbly. Add ice water a little at a time, pulsing 2-3 times after each addition until you achieve the consistency of crumbly Play Doh. Transfer the dough into a large bowl and use your hands to form it into a ball. Cut the dough in half, form into two balls and flatten each into a 8" disc. Wrap the discs in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
MAKE THE PEACH PIE FILLING
In a medium saucepan combine the peaches, brown sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons bourbon. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the arrowroot powder and stir until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in the remaining tablespoon of bourbon and set aside.
Preheat the oven to 350°
ROLL OUT & CUT THE PASTRY
Generously flour a work surface. Cut one of the discs in half lengthwise and return the rest to the refrigerator. Flour a rolling pin and lightly dust the top of the dough with flour. Roll out the pastry so that it's generally in the form of a rectangle and about 1/4" thick. Trim the rough edges and cut the pastry with a pizza cutter into 3 1/2" x 5" even rectangles. Use a ruler to measure them and score with the pizza cutter so you know where to slice. Refrigerate the trimmings so that you can roll out additional rectangles when you've gone through the two discs.
FILL AND BAKE THE HAND PIES
Spoon a generous tablespoon of filling into the center of the dough. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash along the edges of the pastry. Fold the dough over onto itself and seal the edges by pressing a fork along the sides. Transfer the pie to the baking sheet. With a sharp knife, cut a few vents about 1/2" long. Brush the pies with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in the center of the oven for 20 minutes. Rotate the pan 180° and continue to bake for an additional 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Continue with remaining pies.
MAKE BOURBON GLAZE
While pies cool, mix powdered sugar and add bourbon (or cream) in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle the pies with the glaze and let dry about 15 minutes. Serve.