Apple Pie Pastries

This is another Taste of Home recipe. Little Apple Pie Pastries. They looked so cute in the magazine. Mine didn't look quite as cute when they came out of the oven. I think the next time I make these I will make sure the crimp on the dough is much tighter. They seemed to open up too much in the oven. I used my apple peeler/corer/slicer for this. The recipe called for 6 small tart apples. I have no idea why you would need 6 apples when this recipe only needs one apple ring for each pastry. I used 2 big Granny Smiths.

As soon as these came out of the oven, I cranked the heat up to 500 to bake my bread for dinner. The smell in the kitchen was unreal. John and I couldn’t wait. We split one of the little pies in half and promptly wolfed it down. FANTASTIC! The crust was rich and buttery, the cinnamon/sugar mixture was just right, not too sweet. I am practicing total self control in not eating another. I really think I should eat dinner first. So they may not look as pretty as the picture in the magazine, but they taste wonderful. Next time I might even make a drizzle for the top…..something in the maple syrup family…..hmmmm.

Apple Pie Pastries
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup cold butter
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/2 cup milk

Filling:
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5 tablespoons cold butter - divided
6 small tart apples, peeled and cored
1/4 cup sugar

In a large bowl combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle with vinegar. Gradually add milk, tossing with fork until dough form a ball. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until easy to handle.

Meanwhile in another bowl combine the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in 2 tablespoons of butter until crumbly set aside. Melt the remaining butter. Cut apples in 1/2 inch rings.

Shape dough into sixteen 1 1/2 inch balls. Roll each into a 5 inch circle. Brush with the melted butter. I found the easiest way to get 16 equal pieces of dough was to shape the dough into a circle, then divide the circle in half, then divide that in half, you get the picture, until you end up with 16 pieces. Then I rolled those into balls.

Place one apple ring in the center of each circle. Top each with 2 teaspoons of the brown sugar mixture. Fold edges of dough over the apple rings, leaving centers uncovered: crimp edges. Brush dough with remaining melted butter, sprinkle with sugar. I had a lot of the brown sugar mixture left over, and I did use 2 packed teaspoons on each.

Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets (I used parchment paper). Bake at 375 for 30 - 35 minutes or until golden brown and apples are tender. Serve warm.