Apple Hand Pies

• baking apples↗2

  (used Bramley), peeled, cored, cut into 3 cm cubes

• light brown soft sugar↗50 г g
• ground cinnamon↗1 ч. л. tsp
• ground nutmeg↗¼ ч. л. tsp
• salted butter↗25 г g

  cut into cubes

• shortcrust pastry↗320 г лист готового розкоченого g

  sheet of ready rolled

• cornstarch1 ст. л. tbsp
• egg↗1

  beaten

• demerara sugar↗1 ст. л. tbsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Place the apples, light brown soft sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and butter in a saucepan, set over medium heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes until the apples become soft. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool.

2. 2

   While the filling cools, unfold the shortcrust pastry sheet with the short side towards you. Cut it in half lengthwise, obtaining two long rectangles, then cut each into five smaller rectangles – a total of 10 pieces (approximately 12 × 7 cm).

3. 3

   When the apple mixture has cooled, combine it with the cornstarch. Spoon the filling into the center of each of the five rectangles, leaving the other five empty. Brush the beaten egg over the exposed pastry areas, then carefully cover them with the empty rectangles. Press the edges to seal the filling. Crimp the edges with a fork, and cut three slits on the top of each pastry with a knife tip – this allows steam to escape during baking.

4. 4

   Arrange the pastries on a parchment‑lined baking tray and brush the tops with the remaining beaten egg. Chill for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator or 10 minutes in the freezer. At this stage they can be kept in the fridge for up to 24 hours or individually packaged and frozen for up to two months.

5. 5

   Preheat the oven to 200 °C (180 °C with convection/gas 6). Brush again with egg, sprinkle with demerara sugar and bake for 15–20 minutes until the pastry is golden (if baking from frozen, add another 10 minutes). After baking, cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.