makes eight 4½” x 2½” pies

Ginger Pie Pastry
(adapted from Eating Well Magazine)

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon cardamom
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon molasses combined with 2 tablespoons ice cold water

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse together the flours, baking powder, brown sugar, spices and salt. Add the butter pieces and pulse just until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Empty this mixture into a large bowl. Add the molasses/cold water and use your fingers to gather the dough together. Shape the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling out. On a sheet of parchment paper lightly dusted with flour, roll the dough out into a large piece ⅛” thick. Using a 4½” tart pan ring, I was able to cut out 8 circles of dough. (You can also use a large round cookie cutter measuring 4 or 4½ inches.) Place the cut circles onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Pear Ginger Filling

1½ pounds of ripe but firm pears, peeled, halved, cored and cut into ¾” chunks     
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar (taste the pears- and adjust the sugar accordingly)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
zest of one small lemon
1 tablespoon crystallized candied ginger, diced

an egg wash made from 1 egg combined with 1 tablespoon milk
coarse sanding sugar for sprinkling (preferably Sugar in the Raw)

In a large bowl, toss the pears with the lemon juice and set aside. In a heavy bottomed sauté pan, melt the butter. Add the pears, sugar, spices and lemon zest. Cook over medium heat, about 5-7 minutes, until the pears are tender but still hold their shape. Remove from the heat and add the candied ginger. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fruit to a rimmed baking sheet, spreading the fruit evenly so it will cool. Do not add the reserved juices to the filling- it will make the pastry soggy.  (The filling must cool completely before assembling the hand pies.) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place a sheet of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Remove one circle of pastry from the refrigerator at a time, set it on the parchment and place 1½ tablespoons of cooled filling into the center of the pastry. Use a small pastry brush or your fingertip to moisten the edge of the pastry with the egg wash. Fold the circle in half and crimp the edges with the tines of a fork. Repeat with the remaining circles of pastry. Brush each hand pie with egg wash and then sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar. Place this tray in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before baking. Bake on the bottom rack of a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 10 minutes. Lower the heat to 375 degrees, move the tray to the middle rack and bake for an additional 5-8 minutes until the pastry is golden. Serve warm, preferably with whipped cream.

makes one 9” tart

Hazelnut Pastry         makes enough for a 9” lattice topped tart*

2¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
10 oz. unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup skinned, lightly toasted hazelnuts
¾ cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon cardamom
⅛ teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon orange zest
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, lightly beaten with a fork

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a blade attachment, pulse together the hazelnuts, sugar, spices and zests. Be careful not to over-process the hazelnuts. The mixture should be fine but not pasty. Place the butter in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed then add the hazelnut/sugar/spice mixture. Combine well, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl then add the vanilla extract and the egg, mixing to incorporate. With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients, one third at a time, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl. The dough will be soft, similar to cookie dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper and divide it in half. Shape each half of dough into a disc, wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least several hours, or preferably overnight. (It is easier to work with the dough when it is cold; remove one disc from the refrigerator at a time.) On a lightly floured sheet of parchment, roll out one disc of dough into an 11” circle. Carefully transfer the dough into a buttered and floured 9” round x 1 ½” deep fluted tart pan, pressing the dough evenly into the bottom and up the sides. Flour your fingers and patch any areas that are thin or have a tear. Trim the dough even with the edge of the pan and refrigerate it. Remove the second disc of dough from the refrigerator and roll it out on a lightly floured sheet of parchment into a 10” circle. Use a pastry wheel or small sharp knife to cut ½” wide lattice strips. Place the sheet of parchment with the lattice strips onto a baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

Fresh Fig and Raspberry filling (tweaking a tart from Leslie Mackie and a pie from Michael James)

12 oz. fresh figs, rinsed, stems removed, halved and cut into quarters (yields between 2½ and 2¾ cups)
12 oz. fresh raspberries, lightly rinsed then dried on a paper towel (yields between 2½ and 2¾ cups)
¼ cup dark brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon lemon zest
½ teaspoon orange zest
1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (depending on the sweetness of the fruit)
2 teaspoons fig butter (available at Trader Joes) or 2 teaspoons raspberry jam

egg wash made from 1 egg yolk whisked together with 2 tablespoons heavy cream

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugars, salt, flour and zests. Add the quartered figs to the sugar/flour mixture and toss to coat evenly. Place the sugared figs in a heavy bottomed saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring with a rubber spatula to prevent sticking. Cook just until the juices from the figs thicken, about 5-8 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the fig butter or raspberry jam and transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Let this cool to room temperature. When cool, add the raspberries, stirring gently to combine. Add 1 teaspoon of the lemon juice and taste for sweetness/tartness before adding an additional teaspoon. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

To assemble the tart, place the chilled tart shell on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Pour the cooled filling into the shell. Remove the chilled lattice strips from the refrigerator and working quickly (the dough tends to soften) use an offset spatula dipped in flour to lay the lattice over the fruit. It doesn’t have to be perfect; if the strips are getting too soft, place them back in the refrigerator for a few minutes. Trim the lattice evenly with the edge of the pan. Carefully brush the lattice strips with the egg wash. Place the tart back in the refrigerator for 15 minutes before baking. Bake the tart on the bottom rack of the oven for 20 minutes then move the tart to the middle rack and continue baking for an additional 35-45 minutes. The fruit should bubble around the edges and in the middle of the tart. Place the tart on a cooling rack and let cool completely before removing the outer tart ring. Cover and refrigerate leftovers.

(* any scraps of hazelnut pastry dough can be rolled on parchment and cut out with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 degrees just until golden; baking time will depend on the size cutter you use.)

makes one 9” double crust pie

1 recipe of your favorite pie dough, enough for a double crusted 9” pie.

Roll out one half of the dough and fit it into a 9” pie plate; crimp the edges. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll out the second half of dough into a 10” circle, about ⅛” thick. Refrigerate the bottom and top crusts while you prepare the filling.

Filling-

5-6 red or purple plums, halved, pitted and cut into ¾” chunks (3 cups total)
4 apples (combination of sweet and tart) peeled, cored and cut into ¾” chunks (3 cups total)
¼ cup sugar
¼ cup dark brown sugar
generous pinch of salt
2 tablespoons honey
½ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
2½ tablespoons cornstarch
zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine the sugars, salt, spices, cornstarch and lemon zest. In a large bowl, combine the plums, apples, honey, lemon juice and walnuts. Add the sugar/spice mixture to the bowl of fruit and mix well. Remove the pie shell and top crust from the refrigerator. Turn the filling into the pie shell, lift the top crust and place it over the filling. Seal and crimp the edges. Place the pie on a parchment lined baking sheet. Use a sharp paring knife to cut 4 slits in the center of the top crust. Bake the pie on the bottom shelf of your oven for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees, move the pie to the middle shelf of the oven, and continue baking for an additional 50 minutes, or until the juices bubble thickly around the edges and in the center of the pie. Let the pie cool completely before slicing. Serve with Cider Glaze.

Cider Glaze from The Silver Palate

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
6 tablespoons sugar
generous pinch of salt
4 tablespoons apple cider
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons Applejack
2 tablespoons heavy cream

In a small saucepan, melt butter then add sugars and salt. Add cider, orange juice, Applejack and cream. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat and cook for 4 minutes. Let cool before serving.