Lemon Hand Pies with Tangy Applesauce

Prep Time: 35 minutes

Cooking Time: 6 hours 25 minutes (6 hours are exclusively for applesauce’s slow cooking)

Chilling Time: 1 hour

Total Time: 8 hours

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¾ cup butter, unsalted, cold & cut into small cubes (go for vegan butter if you are allergic to dairy products)
½ cup ice water
1 tablespoon white vinegar

(use 500g readymade Pillsbury puff pastry crust, or alternatively you can also use crescent rolls, the results are equally great)

1 & 1/2 pounds Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored, and cut into cubes)
1 & 1/2 pounds Fuji apples (peeled, cored, and cut into cubes)
1 tablespoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 pinch salt
1 small pinch cayenne pepper (if you do not like the spice, feel free to skip it altogether)
⅛ – ¼ cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup water

2 cups milk (if you are allergic to dairy products, use plant-based milk, preferably coconut milk for its rich flavor and texture)
½ cup unrefined sugar (use brown sugar if possible)
½ cup cornstarch
2 tablespoons of butter (use vegan in case of dairy allergy)
1 pinch turmeric for color ( or 3 drops of organic Food Coloring)
⅓ cup lemon juice
1 tablespoon lemon zest

Melted butter or milk

To make the dough, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
Cut the cubes of butter into the dry ingredients using two forks or a pastry cutter, until the mixture resembles small peas (you can also use a food processor or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment).
Add vinegar and ice water and gently form dough into a ball.
This step is optional, but it creates a flakier crust: Place dough on the counter. Taking a small piece of dough at a time, push the dough across the counter using the heel of your hand. Scrape up the dough using your hands (a metal dough scraper also works well here) and gently form all of the scraps into a new ball again. Do it for 4-5 times(for around 1-2 minutes)
Bring into a ball with your hands, flatten into a disc, wrap in greaseproof paper and chill for at least 1 hour (otherwise your pie crust will melt in the oven).

Combine the lemon juice and cornstarch together in a small container. Stir until the cornstarch dissolves completely.
Place the coconut cream and sugar into a small saucepan and set it over medium heat.
Whisk the ingredients together as they heat up. Keep whisking to dissolve the sugar in the coconut cream as it melts. Bring the mixture to a simmer.
Whisk in the lemon juice mixture. Keep whisking and bring the mixture back to a simmer. The mixture should thicken up quickly once it starts simmering again. Be careful, as it will sputter.
Remove the saucepan from heat once the mixture has thickened. Whisk in the butter and lemon zest until the butter has completely melted and the ingredients are fully combined. Whisk in the yellow food coloring/turmieric if you’re using it.
Allow the lemon curd to cool, then serve or transfer to airtight storage containers and refrigerate until ready to use.

Place the cubed apples into a 6 to 8-quart slow cooker.
Add the water, lemon juice, and cinnamon and stir to combine.
Place on low heat for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t burn along the edges or bottom.
Once the apples are very soft, break them up with a fork or potato masher if you like chunky applesauce, or use an immersion blender to make a smoother version.
Taste and add brown sugar (adjust the quantity as per the sweetness of the apples).

Heat the oven to 375 F. Line two baking trays with greaseproof paper.
Take out the chilled pie dough and place it on a flat surface dusted with flour. Let your dough warm up for a bit (around 20-40 minutes) until you can roll it out without it cracking. You don’t want it too warm though or it will stick to your rolling pin.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll out the pastry to 2-3mm thick (little thicker than tortilla). Using a 12cm cutter (or a small bowl), cut out 10 circles; you’ll probably need to re-roll the pastry scraps to get the final few circles out.
Take one pastry circle and spoon a heaped tablespoon of the lemon curd filling (leaving behind any liquid) on the right-hand half. Fold over the left-hand side, to create an enclosed, half-moon-shaped pie. Use a fork to crimp around the edges to seal and make a rough pattern. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling.
Transfer the pies to the lined trays, brush with the milk/butter of your preference (you might also like to slash the top of each pie and sprinkle over the granulated sugar for aesthetics). Bake in the center of the oven for 20-25 minutes, until deeply golden brown, and don’t worry if the pies explode a little (from the slash on top, that’s all part of their charm).
Serve warm or at room temperature with tangy applesauce.