I only made 16 (1 box of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry), but there is enough filling for 16 more. I will do that tomorrow.
As I really didn't have a clear recipe, this is the best I can come up with. If you only want to do 1 box, you should halve the filling OR make the 16 and a small 6" pie.
INGREDIENTS
2 boxes of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry
CHERRY FILLING
3 cups pitted cherries
2/3 cup sugar
3 TBL. cornstarch
1 tsp. orange zest
1 TBL. orange juice
CREAM CHEESE FILLING
8oz cream cheese (I like to use softened or whipped)
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla
EGG WASH
1 egg, mixed with a titch of water
a sprinkle of sugar
DIRECTIONS:
My first challenge was how to pit the cherries. The last time I did it, I used a knife, cut around the cherry, then popped out the pit. Too messy. I did an online search this morning and decided to try the straw method. BINGO! Hold the cherry in one hand, using a small (not too bendy) straw, push from stem indent through the cherry and the pit will pop out the other end. VOILA! Now that method is a keeper!. Of course I could buy a pitter, but I really don't want any more 'stuff' to store for occasional use.
CHERRY FILLING
Once the cherries were pitted I put them in a pot with sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, and orange juice. This went on medium heat, stirring occasionally until thickened and bubbly. This took almost 20 minutes. I decided to use my potato masher to crush the cherries a bit more as the hand pies would be little. COOL.
CREAM CHEESE FILLING
Put all the ingredients in a bowl and mix. I used my emulsion mixer, but a regular mixer or a fork would do too. Just be sure it is mixed thoroughly.
PUFF PASTRY
Take out of the freezer and soften (20 minutes?)
ASSEMBLY
- I use a pastry cloth dusted with flour (you can use a dish towel).
- I roll the dough into about a 12" x 12" square. I used my pizza cutter to slice down the middle in one direction. I separated the two sections by a few inches
- I marked each strip with a small indent to show 4 sections
- On the bottom, middle I place a teaspoon of the cherry mix and covered with a dash of the cream cheese mix.
- Using a pastry brush, paint some egg wash between each mound, across the bottom and the top.
- I used a pie crimper, but the pizza cutter will work, followed by the tip of a fork to seal edges. For this step, fold the top down to the bottom edge. Use fingers to press into sections and seal in the filling.
- Now use the pastry cutter to cut each strip into 4 individual hand pies.
- Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (or greased pan). I did 8 to a cookie sheet.
- Brush each pie with egg wash. Using your finger tips, sprinkle with a bit of sugar.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes; I switched the pans top/botom after 10 minutes.