Category Archives: Dessert Recipes
Cherry Hand Pies
Cherry Hand Pies
Makes 9 pies
Active time: 25 minutes
Total time: 3 hours (cooling time included)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted, or about 12 ounces frozen pitted cherries, unthawed
- 2/3 cup dried cherries
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 14-ounce package all-butter puff pastry (preferably Dufour), thawed in refrigerator
- Flour (for dusting)
- 1 large egg white
- 1 1/2 teaspoon raw sugar
Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Stir cornstarch and 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water in a small bowl to blend. Combine fresh cherries and next 4 ingredients in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until cherry juices are released, about 5 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture; bring to a boil, stirring often. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.Roll out pastry on a lightly floured surface to an 18×15″ rectangle. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into nine 6×5″ rectangles. Whisk egg white and 1 tablespoon water in another small bowl for egg wash.Working with 1 pastry rectangle at a time, place on a work surface and brush edges with egg wash. Scoop 3 tablespoons cherry mixture onto one side; fold dough over filling so that short ends meet, forming a 5×3″ packet. Crimp edges with a fork to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut a few slits in top of pie to vent. Place on prepared baking sheet; repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Brush tops with egg wash, then sprinkle with raw sugar. Chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake pastries until tops and bottoms are golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely.
DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
Bon Appetit | Sara Dickerman | July 2011
Photo by Ditte Isager
Spiced Applesauce Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
spiced applesauce cake with cinnamon cream cheese icing
Serves 6
- Active time:20 min
- Start to finish:3 1/2 hr (includes cooling)
October 2009
This is the cake you want on a cool Sunday evening in October, after you’ve just finished eating your first beef stew of the season. It’s full of the flavors everyone craves once the mercury dips below 50 degrees—brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and cloves. The swath of spiced cream cheese frosting is as easy to make as it is delicious.
For cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup walnuts (optional), toasted, cooled, and chopped
For frosting
- 5 oz cream cheese, softened
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
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Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter an 8- or 9-inch square cake pan.
Make cake:
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Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
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Beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in applesauce. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined, then stir in walnuts (if using).
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Spread batter evenly in pan and bake until golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, then invert onto a plate. Reinvert cake onto a rack to cool completely.
Make frosting:
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Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy. Sift confectioners sugar and cinnamon over cream cheese mixture, then beat at medium speed until incorporated.
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Spread frosting over top of cooled cake.
Recipe by Andrea Albin
Photograph by Stephanie Foley