Name: Quince Hand Pies
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 120 min
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour (plus more for dusting); 1/4 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (1 lemon); 8 tablespoons 1 stick butter, room temperature; 1 1/4 cups sugar; 1 large whole egg; 3 ounces cream cheese (room temperature); 2 tablespoons buttermilk; 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice; 4 quinces (peeled, cored and cut into slices); 2 tablespoons of cinnamon; 1 large egg white (lightly beaten)

Growing-up in a traditional Moroccan home, every Rosh Hashanah dinner my mom served-up delicious caramelized quinces cooked with cinnamon and sugar. I adapted her recipe into hand pies. You can always replace quinces with apples; and for a nice touch, you can insert a cake-pop stick onto to turn them into pie pops.

Quince Hand Pies

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 20

Total Time 2

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Servings

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest 1 lemon
8 tablespoons 1 stick butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large whole egg
3 ounces cream cheese room temperature
2 tablespoons buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 quinces peeled, cored and cut into slices
2 tablespoons of cinnamon
1 large egg white lightly beaten

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients from the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest; set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and 1 cup sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg, and beat until just combined. Add cream cheese, buttermilk, and vanilla extract; beat until well combined. Add the reserved flour mixture, and beat until smooth. Form the dough into a ball, and cover with plastic wrap; flatten into a disk, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
In the meantime, peel, rinse and slice your quinces.
Bring mixture of water, lemon juice, half the sugar and quinces to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until most of the water has been absorbed, and quinces have softened. Quinces need more cook time than apples, about 25-30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Remove dough from refrigerator. Sprinkle a clean work surface with flour; roll dough 1/8 inch thick. Using a 4 1/2-inch-round cookie cutter, cut out 20 rounds, and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. Have ready a small bowl of ice water. Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator, and let stand until pliable, 2 to 3 minutes. Place 2-3 apple wedges onto the center of a round, and brush ice water around the edges. Fold round in half; using a fork, press down on edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining rounds. Chill 30 minutes.
Remove pies from refrigerator, and brush tops with egg white. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup sugar over tops. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven; transfer to a wire rack to cool. Serve.
Dough recipe credit: Martha Stewart