Vegan MoFo Day #6!

We’ve been getting a ton of apples in our farmshare, so when my housemate brought back a box of apples from apple-picking, it got a little apple-crazy around here. Afraid that they were going to go bad, one night we sat down, peeled all the apples, sliced them and froze them. What does this mean? Easy baked apple confections! Peeling and cutting the apples is the most annoying part, so having bags of frozen and ready apple slices in the freezer makes life wonderful! An idea for the next time you have a ton of apples and aren’t ready to use them yet!

I was inspired by my friend, who recently bought a mini apple pie-making contraption, to make my own little apple pies. For some reason I’m not that excited by regular big apple pie, but am a huge fan of its offspring! I changed this recipe very slightly from La Pure Mama blog (original found here) by adding an extra tablespoon of margarine to the mixture as I wanted mine more fatty a la MxDonalds’ apple pies (Did I just say that?). I’ve made 2 regular and one double batch so far and lots of apples left! I have plans to make a batch with added maple cream in the filling, as I think it would be DELICIOUS.

Apples To-Go: Vegan Apple Hand Pies

Perfect fall time or, well, any time treat really. An apple pie that fits in your hand!
Print Recipe

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup white flour + some for dusting
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp. margarine
  • 4 Tbsp. water
  • 2 medium apples peeled and cut small
  • 1-2 Tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • a pinch nutmeg

Instructions
 

  • If using frozen apple slices, mix them with lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and allow to thaw a bit ahead of time.
  • Mix together the flours, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl.
  • Add in margarine and incorporate. I stirred a bit and then gave in and just used my fingers until the mixture was a uniform crumbly texture.
  • Add the water and stir/mix with fingers until combined.
  • Once your dough is formed, shape it into a ball and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes in a sealed container (or plastic wrap).
  • If not using frozen and ready apples, now's the time to peel them and slice them very thin. Toss with the lemon juice, brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and set aside. I like my apples cut very small so there's more "apple goo", but it depends on what you like.
  • When the dough is sufficiently cold, plop the ball out and cut into equal eighths, like a pizza (but smaller of course).
  • Flour your surface and roll one of the eights into a circle (doesn't have to be perfect, as seen above). Make sure the dough isn't too thin or it will break when you put the filling in.
  • Once rolled out, add a 2 or so tablespoons of filling in the middle (whatever will fit, start with less so it doesn't get messy), fold over, press the sides together and then roll them over once more and press again to seal. Or do that thing with the fork that makes them look all cute. Repeat with the other seven eighths.
  • When finished, take a knife and cut three slits in each as shown above. This will allow the steam and goo to come out and look delicious.
  • To store, lay them flat in plastic bags in the freezer...quick apple treats whenever you want!
  • Whenever you want to eat them/reheat the frozen pies, preheat an oven (or toaster oven in my case) to 375F or (190C) and bake for roughly 20 minutes. Keep an eye on them. When they're browned and goo is dripping out of them, they're ready.

What’s your favorite/most unique way to use up apples? Another idea: Make your own dried apples.