Cranberry Brie Hand Pies
The traditional combination of cranberries and brie is spun into a decadent hand pie for that special something to serve for your next holiday party! These pair perfectly with the Sandhill 2016 Merlot.
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup vegetable shortening cut into chunks
- ½ cup cold butter or cold vegan butter cut into ½-inch (1 cm) cubes
- ¼ cup + 2 to 3 tablespoons ice water
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice or white vinegar
- 1 egg for egg wash
Cranberry Relish Filling
- ½ lb./227 grams fresh cranberries
- 1/3 cup sugar
- ¼ cup orange juice
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 150 g brie cut into 1”x 1/4“ pieces
Instructions
Make the Pie Crust:
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In a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt; pulse to mix. Sprinkle the shortening and butter on top of the flour mixture. Pulse until the shortening and butter are just incorporated and the butter pieces are the size of peas. Do not overprocess.
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In a small measuring cup, mix 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the ice water together with the lemon juice or vinegar. Sprinkle it evenly over the mixture. Pulse until the dough just starts to stick together in clumps, adding an additional tablespoon of water if needed. Divide the dough in half, shape into 2 discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before rolling it out.
Make the Cranberry Relish:
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Meanwhile, combine the cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water and orange zest together in a small saucepan. On low heat, bring to a simmer and cook until the cranberries are soft and broken down and the mixture is thick, about 12-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Assemble the Pies:
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Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Place a rack on the middle shelf. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with 1 tablespoon (15 mL) water and set aside.
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To assemble the hand pies. On a well-floured work surface, roll one disc of dough into a roughly 14" x 14" square. With a straight edge and pastry wheel, or a 3 1/2" square cutter, cut out sixteen 3 1/2" squares.
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Place a piece of the brie in the centre of eight of the squares, and top each with a teaspoon of the relish. Brush some of the beaten egg along the edges of each filled square.
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Use a knife to cut a vent into each of the remaining eight squares; or use a decorative cutter of your choice.
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Top each filled square with a vented square, and press along the edges with the tines of a fork to seal. Brush the top of each pie with the remaining beaten egg. Transfer the pies to the prepared baking sheet. Note: If at any time during this process the pies become sticky and hard to work with, simply refrigerate them for about 20 minutes, until firm. Sprinkling some flour on a metal spatula helps lift them off of the counter if necessary.
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Bake until the pies are golden brown, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a baking rack to cool slightly before serving.
I love making cranberry brie bites in phyllo pastry shells but I’ll definitely have to switch it up and try these adorable hand pies! They look next level!
Do you think they would turn out nicely if I were to assemble them and freeze and bake them for frozen the say of? Thank you!
These sound amazing! I can’t wait for the excuse to go out and get some brie.
Last year I made a blueberry and cranberry relish and it actually had Merlot in it. It would definitely work here.