Recipe Development by Vanessa Rocchio | Food Styling by Katie Moon Dickerson and Vanessa Rocchio | Styling by Maggie Ratliff
Persimmon Fried Hand Pies are a crispy, golden treat filled with sweet, spiced persimmons. Fresh fruit is simmered with brown sugar, butter, lemon, cinnamon, and ginger, then tucked into flaky homemade piecrust and fried to perfection. Easy to hold and full of warm autumn flavor, these hand pies are perfect for fall gatherings, holiday spreads, or a nostalgic dessert with a seasonal twist!
Persimmon Fried Hand Pies
Makes 24
Ingredients
- 4 soft ripe fresh persimmons, peeled and roughly chopped
- ½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- Piecrust (recipe follows)
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- Vegetable oil, for frying
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, bring persimmons and water to cover to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until softened and falling apart, 5 to 8 minutes. Drain persimmons, and return to pan. Mash persimmons with a fork or potato masher. (You can use a blender or an immersion blender for a smoother filling, if desired.) Stir in brown sugar, melted butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, and ginger. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is melted and ingredients are combined, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool for 10 minutes.
- Let Piecrust stand at room temperature until slightly softened, about 15 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, roll half of dough to ⅛-inch thickness. Using a 4½-inch round cutter, cut dough, rerolling scraps only once.
- In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water. Brush edges of dough rounds with egg wash. Place about 1 tablespoon filling in center of each. Fold dough over filling. Crimp from center to edges, gently pressing in any filling as you go. Crimp with the tines of a fork. Freeze for 20 minutes.
- In a large Dutch oven, pour oil to a depth of 1½ inches, and heat over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 360°. Place paper towels on a wire rack.
- Fry hand pies in batches until golden brown, 2 to 2½ minutes per side. Carefully remove from hot oil, and let drain on prepared rack. Serve warm.
Piecrust
Makes crust for 24 hand pies
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
- ½ cup cold whole buttermilk
Instructions
- In the work bowl of a food processor, pulse flour, sugar, and salt until combined. Add cold butter, and pulse until mixture is crumbly. With processor running, add cold buttermilk in a slow, steady stream until a dough forms.
- Divide dough in half, and shape each half into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
