makes 8 hand pies
Pastry dough:
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon unsalted baking powder
1 cup (16 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup cold Greek yogurt (I used Chobani 0%)
3 tablespoons cold organic skim milk (if necessary)
Filling:
2 cups blackberries, fresh
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon tapioca granules
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 large egg, beaten
white sparkling/sanding sugar
1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the cold butter cubes, and use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles small peas.
2. Stir the yogurt into the dough mixture. If the dough still seems too dry, stir in the skim milk. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until it comes together. Pat into a log shape, then roll out into an 8"x10" rectangle. Fold it into three, then flip the dough over. Turn the rectangle by 90 degrees, and roll out again into another 8"x10" rectangle. Fold in three a second time. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
3. While the dough is chilling, make the blackberry filling. In a small sauce pot, combine the blackberries, sugar, tapioca granules, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens, 5-10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silpat. Set aside.
5. Roll the dough into a large rectangle or oval; the dough should be quite thin, about 1/8" thick. Use a 3-inch round (or square) cookie cutter to cut out 16 circles. Crack an egg into a small bowl and beat with a fork. Brush the egg wash across 8 of the circles. Place about 1 tablespoon of blackberry filling into the center of each egg-wash-covered circle.
6. Use a decorative cutter (I used a small leaf shape) to cut a vent in the center of each of the remaining eight circles. Top each filled circle with a vented circle. Use a fork or your fingers (or both!) to crimp along the edges of each circle to seal it completely. Brush the top of each hand pie with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle generously with sanding sugar.
7. Bake the pies in the oven for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool for at least 20 minutes on a wire rack before serving. Any leftover pies can be refrigerated or frozen (wrap first in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer bag) for longer storage.