Peach Bourbon Pastry Pies

These are wonderful, so flaky.  I made these two different days and two different shapes.  The dough did well in the fridge for 3 1/2 days.  You can fill these with any type of filling you like.  Oh just had an idea, which I'll share with you when I make these again.  Now on to the recipe.

I adapted this recipe from here
Printable
For the pastry:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
16 tablespoons (2 sticks, 8 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup sour cream
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup ice water

For the filling:
2 pounds of peaches or 1 large can of sliced peaches *drain juice*
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
Pinch of cinnamon (optional)
1 teaspoon bourbon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
One egg yolk beaten with 2 tablespoons water (for egg wash)
Coarse sugar, for decoration

To make the pastry, in a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Place the butter in another bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove the bowls from the freezer and make a well in the center of the flour. This is a crucial step. Pie dough has to be kept super cold so that it stays flaky. So don't skip this!

Add the butter to the well and, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Make another well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add half of this mixture to the well. With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough, to prevent it from getting tough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. If preparing ahead of time, the dough can be stored at this point for up to one month in the freezer.

Divide the refrigerated dough in half. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one half of the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 4 1/2-inch-round biscuit cutter  cut seven circles out of the rolled dough. Transfer the circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes. Repeat the rolling, cutting, and chilling process with the remaining half of dough.
Make the filling: If using fresh peaches, peel and chop the peaches into small bits (approx. 1/2-inch dice), much smaller than you’d use for a regular-sized pie. If using can peaches, drain well then mix them with the flour, sugar and pinch of salt and cinnamon, and add the bourbon and vanilla. Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator, and let stand at room temperature until just pliable, 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon about 1 to 2 tablespoons filling (use the smaller amount for a 4-inch circle) onto one half of each circle of dough.  I used the can from the peaches and did two different types.  One folded over....these and be difficult and you don't get much filling, the others shown are make with two circles cut with the peach can then bottom one is filled and put the other on top and seal.  Quickly brush a little cold water around the circumference of the dough, and fold it in half so the other side comes down over the filling, creating a semicircle. Seal the hand pie, and make a decorative edge by pressing the edges of the dough together with the back of a fork. Repeat process with remaining dough. Place the hand pies back on the parchment-lined baking sheet, and return to the refrigerator to chill for another 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Remove the chilled hand pies from the refrigerator, cut a small slit in each and lightly brush with the egg yolk wash. Sprinkle coarse sugar generously over the pies, and place pies in the oven to bake. Bake until the hand pies are golden brown and just slightly cracked, about 20 minutes. Remove the pies from the oven, and let stand to cool slightly before serving.
I made these two different days.  The first time I made the half moon when my friends were over and they were barely out of the oven and Patsy had to have one.  She's too funny!  From making them the first time that's when I decided that putting the filling into the one circle and then covering was the way to go.  Guess if  you have a large can...oh which I do....you could make a bigger turnover shape.  Will try that next time.  I will be making these again but next time I will be doing apple.  When I went to the liquor store to get the bourbon I found two other types, one with cherry flavor and one with cinnamon.  So will try the Cinnamon bourbon on the apples turnovers.

Enjoy!
Thanks for stopping by.  Remember to Find the time To do all the things you love.
Have a great week.
Donna

Peach Cream Tart

With all the peaches I had I needed to make another dessert, ok that's what I told myself and the family agreed.  LOL  I had just bought a new 8 inch tart pan so what better to do with it but bake something.  I went searching for a recipe that was quick, it was already late in the evening and I was running out of steam.  I found this recipe here and talk about quick, easy and tasty.  The link he wrote is funny so take the time to read it, also he has a wonderful site, do browse around.
Printable Recipe

 Tart Recipe:

3 ounces unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used canola)
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
150 g (5oz, or 1 slightly-rounded cup) flour

Preheat the oven to 410º F (210º C).

1. In a medium-sized ovenproof bowl, such as a Pyrex bowl, combine the butter, oil, water, sugar, and salt.

2. Place the bowl in the oven for 15 minutes, until the butter is bubbling and starts to brown just around the edges.

3. When done, remove the bowl from oven (and be careful, since the bowl will be hot and the mixture might sputter a bit), dump in the flour and stir it in quickly, until it comes together and forms a ball which pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

4. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch (23 cm) tart mold with a removable bottom and spread it a bit with a spatula.

5. Once the dough is cool enough to handle, pat it into the shell with the heel of your and, and use your fingers to press it up the sides of the tart mold. Reserve a small piece of dough, about the size of a raspberry, for patching any cracks.

2 or 3 peaches sliced and sprinkled with 2 Tbl. sugar 1 - 2 Tbl Cinnamon

The cream recipe I found here

Cream Filling:
  Pastry Cream Recipe:

1 1/4 cups (300 ml) milk

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar

1/8 cup (20 grams) all-purpose flour

Scant 3 tablespoons (20 grams) cornstarch (corn flour)

3/4 tablespoon liqueur (Grand Marnier, Brandy, Kirsch)  *I did not add this*

For light pastry cream add:

1/2 cup (115 ml) heavy cream, softly whipped (optional)

Chocolate
pastry cream:

Add: 2 ounces (50 grams) of melted bittersweet or semi-sweet, milk or white chocolate into the hot milk  (before you add it to the egg and flour mixture)

Thanks for stopping by.  Have a Wonderful day and Remember to Find the Time to Do ALL the Things you Love.
Donna

Peach Galette

Saturday my daughter and I went to a small town southeast of us to go to some of the local farms there  We went for corn, black cherry tomatoes, some slicing tomatoes, (we only have a few from our garden) and peaches.  My daughter also bought some blueberries.  This recipe is very simple and quick and the family just loved them.  They asked that I make more.  :-)  So they were a big hit.    Peach Galette from the Joy of Baking Frangipane (Almond Cream): 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated white sugar 3 tablespoons (42 grams) unsalted butter 1 large  egg 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/2 cup (42 grams) almond meal (flour) 1 tablespoon (12 grams) all purpose flour Printable recipe this is the paste Crust: 1 pound (454 grams) frozen puff pastry, defrosted

Frangipane:  In the bowl of your electric mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the sugar and butter until creamy.  Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.  Add the almond meal and flour and beat until it forms a smooth paste. Transfer to a small bowl, cover and refrigerate. (you can make your own almond meal by putting almonds in a food grinder/processor and pulse until you have a very fine meal.  Be careful not to make it too fine or you will have a paste.  If you do it this way add the flour from the recipe above and pulse it with the almonds....picture  on right)

Puff Pastry: Once the puff pastry has been defrosted, as per manufacturer's instructions: Unfold one sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface and cut the sheet into thirds with a sharp knife. Then cut each third in half. Repeat with the second layer of puff pastry. Place the  pastries (you will have 12 altogether) on a parchment lined baking sheet. Then, with an offset spatula or large knife, spread a thin layer of frangipane (about 1 heaping tablespoon) on each pastry, leaving about a 1/4 inch (1 cm) border. Cover and refrigerate the pastries for about 15 minutes. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) and place the oven rack in the middle of the oven

Meanwhile, dip the peaches  into a large pot of boiling water for about 30 - 60 seconds, depending on the ripeness of each peach. Transfer the fruit to a large bowl of ice water (this stops the cooking process). The skins should now slip easily off the peaches. Cut the peaches in half, remove the stones, and cut the fruit into slices. Place the peach slices in a large bowl and toss with the sugar and ground cinnamon (if using). Remove the puff pastry from the refrigerator and lay the sugar coated peach slices on top of the frangipane.  

Bake  for about 15 - 20 minutes or until the peaches are tender and the puff pastry is golden brown. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. 

Preheat the oven broiler and move the rack to 

the top shelf of the oven. Lightly dust the tops of the peaches with confectioners sugar (powdered or icing) and place under the broiler until the tips of the peaches start to caramelize.  Watch closely and move the pan as needed.  Serve warm or cold with softly whipped cream or vanilla ice cream .

This is the peaches sliced and the sugar and cinnamon added.

This is them all mixed up, see all the yummy juices?

 Here is the Frangepane on the puff pastry ready to rest in the the refrigerator.

 And here they are out of the oven.  The next step would be to let them cool then when you're ready to serve is when you would pop them in the broiler with the powdered sugar.  Hope you'll try this recipe.  I would think it would be good with other fruits that are in season, give it a try and let me know if you make them.

Have a wonderful day and Remember to Find the Time to do All the Things you Love.

Donna