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Blueberry Hand Pies

I like the term ‘hand pies’ because that’s exactly what these are—pies you can hold in your hands, or if you prefer, serve in a bowl with yoghurt or ice cream. Blueberries thicken once cooked, but I still add a little cornflour to prevent the juices from running too much during baking. I use the same yoghurt pastry (see previous recipe) for both sweet and savoury pies. I generally don’t add sugar to the dough, as the sweet berry filling and sprinkling of sugar on top are enough. If you like a little extra sweetness, add 1–2 tablespoons of sugar to the dough along with the flour.
Servings 8 hand pies
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 quantity of yoghurt pastry (see previous recipe) or about 500g store-bought puff pastry
  • 2 cups (300g) frozen blueberries
  • 2 tbsp sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • 1 egg, beaten for brushing

Instructions

  • Make the pastry – see previous recipe – and rest it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
  • Make the blueberry filling. Place the berries in a saucepan with the sugar, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for 8–10 minutes until the blueberries soften. Sprinkle over the cornflour and stir over the heat for a few minutes until thickened. Tip into a bowl to cool. The berries can be prepared ahead and chilled.
  • When ready to assemble the pastries, preheat the oven to 200C (fan 180C). Line a baking tray with baking paper.
  • On a lightly floured bench, roll out the pastry into a large rectangle about 25 cm wide by 50 cm long and 3 mm thick. Use a pastry cutter or butter knife to cut into 8 squares, each about 12 cm wide.
  • Dollop a heaped tablespoon of the cooled blueberry mixture onto one half of each pastry square. Fold over the other half to create a triangle and encase the filling. Press to seal, using a fork to crimp the edges.
  • Place the pastries on the prepared tray. Make small cuts in the top of each pie to release steam, brush with the beaten egg, and sprinkle with extra sugar. Bake for about 20 minutes, until golden on the top and bottom. Serve hot or warm with yoghurt or ice cream.