“Mom, that Martha Stewart really knows what she’s talking about,” said the teenager who had just baked her first pies. (Wouldn’t you rather bake than study for finals?)
Something about “Martha Stewart’s Pies and Tarts” makes baking seem easy. This isn’t the you’ll-never- be-able-to-make-this- in-a-million-years Martha.
She still sounds like herself in the introduction when she says baking a delectable pie is “something every home baker should be able to do,” but this is the new, easy, no-nonsense Martha (or maybe it’s her editors).
The book features a photo with each recipe — sweet, savory, classic and free-form — and includes a chapter on tools and ingredients, including how to make eights kinds of crusts. It’s a perfect gift for beginning bakers and experienced pastry pros alike.
And when a cookbook makes a 17-year-old want to set aside an afternoon to bake strawberry hand-held pies, this mother isn’t going to argue, she’s going to lie down until they come out of the oven.
Sun-Dried Strawberry Hand Pies
From “Martha Stewart’s New Pies and Tarts: 150 Recipes for Old-Fashioned Favorites and Modern Classics.” Makes 18-20. Any pliable dough will work, even store-bought. We used fresh berries instead of dried.
Ingredients
HAND PIE DOUGH3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (1 lemon)
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
1 large whole egg
3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons nonfat buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
FILLING2 cups sun-dried or quartered fresh strawberries
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice plus 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (1 lemon)
1 cup chunky strawberry preserves
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
Directions
Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and lemon zest; set aside. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter and 1 cup sugar; beat until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add egg and beat until just combined. Add cream cheese, buttermilk and vanilla extract; beat until well combined. Add the reserved flour mixture and beat until smooth. Form the dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap; flatten into a disk and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Remove dough from refrigerator. Sprinkle a clean work surface with flour; roll dough 1/8-inch thick. Using a 4 1/2-inch- round cookie cutter, cut out 20 rounds and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
Combine strawberries and 1 1/2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Scrape in the vanilla seeds, and reserve pod for another use. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until most of the water has been absorbed, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in lemon juice, lemon zest, and preserves. Set aside to cool.
Heat oven to 375 degrees. have ready a small bowl of ice water. Remove chilled dough from the refrigerator and let stand until pliable, 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon 1 tablespoon of filling onto the center of a round and brush ice water around the edges. Fold round in half; using a fork, press down on edges to seal. Repeat with the remaining rounds. Chill 30 minutes.
Remove pies from refrigerator and brush tops with egg white. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup sugar over tops. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Remove from oven; transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Kristen Browning-Blas: 303-954-1440 or kbrowning@denverpost.com
