Ginger pear hand pies
Instructions:
- 2 large eggs
- 2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 1/ 2 teaspoons ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon plus a pinch of salt
- 9 tablespoons (1 1/8 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise and seeds scraped
- 3 tablespoons finely grated peeled fresh ginger
- 2 firm-fleshed pears, such as Bosc, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch dice
- Pie Pastry
- Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
- Whisk together the eggs and 2/ 3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a medium bowl until thick and pale yellow. Whisk in the lemon juice, then whisk in the flour, ground ginger, and pinch of salt; set aside.
- Put 8 tablespoons butter, the vanilla bean and seeds, and grated ginger in a small saucepan; cook over medium-high heat until the butter foams and browns, about 5 minutes. Pour the mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl; discard the solids. Whisking constantly, pour the butter mixture into the egg mixture; whisk until combined.
- Melt the remaining tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pears and remaining 1/ 4 teaspoon salt and tablespoon sugar; cook, stirring, until the pears are soft, about 5 minutes. Let cool, about 10 minutes. Fold the pear mixture into the egg mixture; set aside.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/ 8 inch thick. Using a paring knife or 5-inch cookie cutter, cut 8 rounds from the dough. Gently press the rounds into 8 cups of a 12-cup standard muffin tin, making pleats around the edges and gently pressing to seal. Fill each with 6 tablespoons pear mixture. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Bake the pies until the crusts and filling are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let cool in tins on a wire rack, about 20 minutes. Unmold; let cool completely on rack. Just before serving, dust with confectioners’ sugar.