mariadnoca
Moderator
I made these yesterday to celebrate the autumn equinox. Very cute and got my house smelling like Fall, even if it’s going to be 92F today. we always have a heat wave last week of September. I tweaked the recipe to be more in line with my fav from dorie Greenspan, by using half brown, half white sugar, adding a bit of nutmeg and lemon zest to the mix. I also used 1 honeycrisp, half Granny Smith, and half Fuji, because I like to mix apple flavors.
This recipe is from Helen Nugent
Mini Apple Pie Squares
Warm, delicious and easy apple pie squares make the perfect mini dessert for any occasion.
Servings: 6 squares Prep Time 30 minutes, Cook Time 40 minutes, Resting time 10 minutes, Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 discs butter-shortening pie pastry
- 2 Gala or Honeycrisp apples (or similar), peeled, cored and chopped into 1/2″ pieces (approx 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp milk
- To create the squares:
- In a bowl, add the chopped apples, brown sugar, flour and cinnamon and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Roll out a pastry disc on a well floured surface to a 1/8-inch thickness. Using a ruler as a guide, cut six 5-inch squares. Re-roll the dough if necessary to achieve six squares. Place the squares on a parchment lined cookie sheet and set aside.
- Add any scraps from your first pastry disc to the bottom of the second pastry disc and roll out to a 1/8-inch thickness. Using your favourite cookie cutters (or a paring knife), cut out enough leaves to cover the pie squares (you will need 7-10 1-inch leaves to cover each square). Place the leaves on a parchment lined cookie tray and set aside while you make the filling.
- To assemble:
- Place 3 tablespoons of filling in the middle of each of the pastry squares. Fold the pastry edges up and over the filling to create 4-inch squares.
- Place the leaves over the pie filling, pressing lightly as you go. Overlap the leaves in different directions and wrap them around the edges of the squares to encase the filling. Roll some leftover pastry into little balls and add to the top of each square.
- To make the pastry acorns (optional):
- Form small pieces of leftover dough into the shape of an acorn base. To make the acorn ‘hat’, cut out small circles using a paring knife (I use the wide end of a piping tip) and use a paring knife to create hash marks on it. Place the circles on top of the acorn bases and press all around. Roll a small piece of pastry to make the stem for the acorn ‘hat’.
- Pre-heat the oven to 425˚F. Place the apple squares back in the refrigerator for 10 minutes while the oven pre-heats.
- To bake:
- Mix the egg with milk in a small bowl to make the egg wash. Remove the pie squares from the refrigerator and brush them lightly with the egg wash. Place the squares in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Turn the oven temperature down to 375˚F and bake for a further 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden and the filling is bubbling between the leaves. Allow the square pies to cool for 15 minutes before serving.
- I love everything about Fall. The crisp days. The blue skies. The smell of logs burning in the fireplace. The awesomeness of golden-yellow Trembling Aspen leaves as they shimmer in the wind (best leaf name ever!). If you don’t have Trembling Aspen leaves near you, get in your car and drive until you find them. It will be totally worth it, I promise. I also love making Fall pies.
- Actually, I will use any excuse to make a pie and Fall seems as good a reason as any. These Apple Pie Squares are, in my humble opinion, one of the best ways to celebrate Fall. They are pint-sized (= super adorable). They are easy-peasy to make and take no time to bake. They are free form so no special pie tins or molds are required. And they scream “break out a cozy sweater, light a fire and bring on the cold weather (within moderation)!”
- The best part? These pie squares will deliver a big ‘Whaaat? You made these?’ from your friends and family without a lot of work. Just roll out some of this easy food processor dough, chop some apples, mix with a few spices, add some super adorable cookie cutters like these and you’ve got a dessert that will turn even the most hardened summer hanger-on into a Fall fanatic.
- If you feel like taking things up a notch, add a few handmade pastry acorns and berries to the party. But don’t sweat it if you want to keep it simple. They will still be fabulous.
- Within 10 minutes of putting your pie squares in the oven, your friends and/or family/neighbours/strangers passing by will start hovering around like a pack of hungry wolves. I’m not sure if that is a plus or a minus in your world but consider yourself advised.
- I happen to like a healthy amount of cinnamon in my apple pie, but you can add/subtract to taste as you see fit. The addition of turbinado sugar is for the crunch that I love so much when apples and pastry get together.
- When these squares come out of the oven, you will want to attack them with any kitchen implement that happens to be handy. But do yourself a favour, and let these cool for about 15 minutes or so to set the filling and prevent any third degree burns that might put a dent in your pie-eating plans.
- These squares can be enjoyed straight-up on their own but I don’t think anyone would turn down a little french vanilla ice cream or custard on the side. At least I wouldn’t … if you were to invite me to dinner … which I would totally accept if I knew these were coming my way. Enjoy!