Pear, Chocolate and Red Wine Hand Pies

Remember a few weeks ago when I waxed poetic about poached pears and chocolate sauce?

Yeah, those were good.  Like outstandingly good.  Life-altering globe-changing world-peace-inducing kind of good.

 

Yes, I said it:  poached pears and chocolate sauce might just be the catalyst we need for world peace.  Take that Miss America!  (OK to be fair I kind of adore the Miss America pageant…)

 

That being said I couldn’t just let my next batch of juicy perfect pairs off without a little chocolatey love, and since we’re approaching pie season I decided that hand pies sounded like the way to go.

So what exactly is a hand pie?  It’s pie filling wrapped in pie crust and baked…and it’s the size of your hand!  Nate refused to call them hand pies this weekend though, insisting that they were empanadas.  Here’s the thing:  I have nothing against empanadas, but since it’s my recipe we’re going to go with hand pies today.  Plus I think he knew that he was pushing my buttons with the empanada thing.  That’s what hubbies are for, right?

 

Right 🙂

 

So these bad boys are addicting and crazy simple to make as long as you buy your pie crust (which I highly recommend) rather than make your own.  That being said, if you have a crust recipe that you’re dying to make and you want to?  Be my guest!  I love homemade pie crust, but the reality is that I’m just not going to take the time to make it.  Not when pears and red wine and chocolate are involved.

PEAR, CHOCOLATE AND RED WINE HAND PIES

This recipe makes 4 hand pies, so feel free to multiply accordingly!

• 2 large pears
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 Tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup red wine (pick your favorite, but make sure it has a good flavor)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp corn starch
• 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp) of chocolate chips
• 1 egg
• 1 Tbsp water
• sugar (to sprinkle on top)
• 1 9-inch pie crust (I found mine by the break-and-bake cookies at the store)

First things first make the filling and let it cool slightly before filling the pie crust, otherwise it will melt the crust a little and the hand pies will be leaky.  No one likes a leaky hand pie!  Heat a skillet over medium heat and melt the butter.  Peel, core, and cube the pears; you want small pear pieces (less than 1/2 and inch on all sides) so that they don’t tear the pie crust.  Add the pears to the butter and let brown a little, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes.  Add the sugar and red wine; cook for another 3-4 minutes.  Whisk in the corn starch and let it cook until the sauce is thick, about 2-3 minutes, and the pears are tender.  Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes before filling the pies.

 

Meanwhile, roll out the pie crust (if it’s pre-made it should be about 1/8 inch thick; if it’s homemade make sure you roll it out very thin).  Using a bowl that’s about 5 inches in diameter cut out 4 circles.  I was able to cut out 3 and then rolled out the remaining dough and cut the 4th.  Make sure you’re working on a surface lined with parchment paper.  When the filling is cooled spoon 2 Tbsp in the middle of each pie.  Add 1 Tbsp of chocolate chips to the filling.  Fold in a half moon shape and press the edges together to seal, then use a fork to crimp the edges.  Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before baking.

 

When ready to bake preheat the oven to 350.  Using a sharp knife cut two slits in each pie to let the steam escape.  Beat together the egg and water and brush the egg wash over the top of each pie.  Sprinkle thoroughly with sugar.  Bake for 20-30 minutes until the crusts are golden brown.  Serve warm!

It’s recipes like this that make me feel extra fancy…and who doesn’t want a little extra fancy in their life?!

 

P.S. I’d LOVE it if you clicked over to the Shape Magazine Best Blogger Awards and voted for Faces of Beauty!  I’m so excited to be nominated and would love the chance to share the message of Faces of Beauty with even more of the world!