Fig & Honey Hand Pies

Concerning Fancy Pop Tarts

Homemade hand pies, or in other words, “fancy Pop-Tarts,” are re-emerging on the food scene, and there’s good reason for it! Who doesn’t love a crisp pastry filled with sweet, sticky jam?

Food trends are a funny thing. Dishes from the past that were looked down upon yesterday have suddenly become the new feed buzz today. And, of course, these retro comebacks are reappearing with a sophisticated, modern twist. We’ve taken the concept of the good old, nostalgic Pop-Tart and given it a healthful, grown-up makeover with Neat Nick Preserves Figs & Honey.

Just about every flavor of Neat Nick Preserves makes an excellent filling for these homemade treats, but the Figs & Honey is especially exquisite, with its thick, rich texture and natural figgy sweetness. Instead of a traditional pastry crust made with wheat flour and butter, the dough for these pies is entirely gluten-free and vegan, made with a blend of delicate buckwheat and brown rice flours, coconut oil, and vegan cream cheese.

All About That Dough

The craft for making the dough is the same for making any classic dough, using a food processor dough blade and ice-cold fats. It’s important that the coconut oil, cream cheese, and water are super chilled so that the dough forms together properly and so that fats melt properly within the dough in the oven, creating the ideal crispy, flaky texture. Once the dough is pulsed in the food processor with ice cold water, chill the dough once again so that it can set before being rolled out into pies. Spread a thick tablespoon of the Neat Nick Preserves Figs & Honey into each pie and then seal the edges with a gentle fork crimping. Before popping the pies into the oven, chill them once more just so that they are firm and will bake evenly.

Cool Down, Crisp Up

These hand pies won’t brown too much in the oven, so watch them closely for the edges to just slightly achieve a light golden color and then once they come out of the oven, it’s important to allow the pies to cool so they can continue to crisp up, and once they are ready to eat, they are the perfect accompaniment to a warm cup of tea!

Fig & Honey Hand Pies (makes 4 hand pies)

• ½ cup buckwheat flour
• ½ cup brown rice flour
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin coconut oil, ice cold
• 1 oz. Miyokos vegan plain cream cheese, ice cold
• 3-4 Tbsp. ice cold water
• Pinch of salt
• 4 Tbsp. Neat Nick Preserves Figs & Honey, divided

In the bowl of a food processor, attach the dough blade. Add the buckwheat flour, brown rice flour, and salt, and pulse a few times to blend together. Add in the cold coconut oil and vegan cream cheese.

Pulse several times until little beads begin to form in the dough. Add the ice water, one tablespoon at a time, pulsing the dough in between and scraping down the sides of the food processor bowl as needed. You may need to add more water if the texture is too dry, but you want to achieve a crumb that clumps together.

Turn the dough out onto a working surface and gently form into a ball. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour, longer if needed.

Once the dough has chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350F.

Line a baking sheet with a silicon mat. Divide the dough into 8 even portions and roll each one into a ball. Using a rolling pin, roll out each of the 8 balls into oval or rectangle shapes on the silicon mat.

Spread 1 Tbsp. of the Neat Nick Preserves Figs & Honey onto four of the rolled out dough pieces.

Gently using a butter knife to help scrape up the remaining four pieces, peel up the dough pieces without the preserves and lay one on top of each of the dough pieces with the preserves.

If some of the dough falls apart in transfer, gently reshape. Using the prongs of a fork, gently press down the all around the edges of each hand pie to seal the pies and create a delicate design. Chill the hand pies once more in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes (or to speed up the process, 10-15 minutes in the freezer).

Bake at 350F for about 45 minutes, or until the edges and tops begin to slightly brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. The pies will continue to crisp as they cool. Serve room temperature or re-warmed in the oven with a cup of tea!

#SpreadingHappiness

For more great Neat Nick Preserves recipes, visit the Recipes page on our website. Enjoy!

Recipe created by NoodlesKnows blog author and fitness coach Mandy Kaewsowatana.