Cherry Pastries

Ingredients & Measurements:

Store bought puff pastry

Cherry Pie Filling:
2 cups (420g) frozen black cherries 
½ cup (6oz/110g) water
2 Tbsp. (6g) freshly lemon juice
1/3 cup (73g) granulated sugar
2 tbsp. (15g) cornstarch
½ tsp. almond or vanilla extract
⅛ tsp. Salt 

Egg Wash:

1 egg slightly beaten
1 tbsp. water

Icing:
1 cup (115g) powdered sugar
2-3 tsp. fresh lemon juice
⅛ tsp. salt
½ tsp. vanilla
½ tsp. almond extract

Instructions: 

Step 1: Make the Cherry Filling
Cut the cherries in half. In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, lemon, cornstarch, water, and salt. Mix to combine and cook over a medium high heat until the cherries thicken and reduce. Remove from heat, stir in the almond and vanilla extracts and set aside to cool completely.

Step 2: Make the Pies
Preheat Oven to 400 degrees F.
Take the puff pastry out of the freezer. Lightly flour a flat working surface. Unfold the puff pastry and lightly roll out using a rolling pin. Roll out to a 16×18 inch square. Since its so close to Valentine’s Day, I decided to use a heart cookie cutter, but you can cut the puff pastry into squares or circles. Be sure you cut out enough to have an even number of pastry cut outs, you will need 2 per hand pie. 

Place the bottom pastry cutout on a parchment lined baking sheet. Place about 2 tablespoons of cherry filling in the center, then cover with the other puff pastry cut out, using a fork, gently press along the edge of the entire pie, sealing the seam to keep the filling inside. You will also want to cut 2-3 small slits in the center of the pie to allow the steam to vent. Continue making the rest of the hand pies, then you want to egg wash each pie using a pastry brush. 

Bake for 20-25 min, until the pies are golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the pies to cool on the baking sheet for 20-30 minutes. 

Step 3: Make the Glaze
While the pies cool, move on to the glaze. In a medium sized bowl combine the powdered sugar, salt, vanilla and almond extract. Add the lemon juice a little at a time until you achieve a thick drizzle consistency. 

Step 4: Ice Pies
Using a fork, dip into the icing and drizzle in a back and forth motion over the cooled pies. Allow the icing to set for a few minutes, then enjoy. 

**You can freeze the pies before you bake them. I would suggest not cutting the small slits in the pies, place the cookie sheet in the freezer and allow the pies to chill for 30 minutes. Remove the cookie tray from the freezer and place pies in a freezer air tight bag with pieces of parchment in between each pie. Freeze for up to 3 months. To bake, remove pies from freezer, place on parchment lined baking sheet and let them thaw for just 20 minutes on the counter. Preheat the oven, cut the slits in the tops of the pies, brush with egg wash and bake. 

Be sure to check out the full tutorial below.