Pocket Apple Pies

I've been meaning to make some of these cute little pies ever since I saw the molds at Williams-Sonoma!

Usually I use half butter and half shortening for pie crusts, but I went with the recipe on the box for these pocket pies since the dough has to be more flexible.

Pocket Pie Crust

Adapted from the back of the Pocket Pie Mold box

Ingredients:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup cold salted butter (or 1 cup unsalted butter + 1 tsp salt)

about 8 tbs ice water

1 egg, lightly beaten with 1 tbs water (this is the egg wash, used later when forming pocket pies)

Instructions. Pulse butter and flour in food processor until mixture forms course crumbs. Add ice water tablespoon-by-tablespoon, pulsing between additions, until dough sticks together when pinched. (Unplug food processor before testing!) 

Form two balls, wrap them in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Pie Filling

Adapted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook

 4 large green apples

3 tbs flour

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

dash of salt

Instructions. Chop apples up into small pieces (about a half-inch long) and put them in a medium-sized bowl. Stir in mixture of flour, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

Rolling and Cutting Dough. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Take pie dough out of refrigerator. Using rolling pin, roll dough out to about 1/8 inch thick on a floured surface.

Use the back side of the mold to cut out pairs of apple shapes. Collect cutouts on a plate and repeat process with other ball of dough. Collect scraps in a ball and re-roll.

Note: This should make 7 or 8 pies, so there should be enough dough for about 14 to 16 cutouts.

Forming Pocket Pies. Using the inside of the pocket pie mold, place a bottom cutout (no vent hole) in the mold, and stretch to fit mold. Fill with pie filling and brush edges with egg wash. 

Place top cutout (with vent hole) over filling and stretch crust to make edges meet. Close mold and press firmly to seal the edges.

Place pocket pies on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Brush pies with egg wash (this gives the pies that golden/shiny look, but isn't necessary.) Bake for about 20 minutes at 400 degrees F, until filling begins to bubble and crust is golden.

Let pies cool on racks for at least 10 minutes before eating.