Zus Fried Apple Pies Recipes

Steps:

• Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, butter and 1 tablespoon water. Cook, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is bubbling. Add the apples, vanilla, salt, cinnamon and lemon juice. Mix together the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl to create a slurry. Add the cornstarch mixture to the skillet and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender, about 5 minutes. Pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool completely. You can make this ahead of time and chill in the fridge a day or so in advance if needed.
• To make the pies, roll each biscuit into about a 5-inch circle that is about 1/8 inch thick. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of the apple filling on each round of dough, just off center. Use your finger and run a little water around the edges to help them seal completely. Fold one half of each circle over onto the other half and seal in the apple filling, forcing out any air that you can. Press the edges together and crimp with a fork. Continue until they're all assembled.
• Heat the oil in a high-sided skillet over medium heat until it reaches 350 degrees F. Fry the pies 2 or 3 at a time for about 5 minutes, carefully turning them halfway through. Remove them to a paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
• When all the pies are fried, sift the confectioners' sugar over top. Serve with Cinnamon-Caramel Sauce or store-bought caramel sauce.
• Mix the brown sugar, half-and-half, butter and a pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking gently, until it thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Whisk in the vanilla, cinnamon and a second pinch of salt and cook another minute to thicken further. Turn off the heat and allow to cool to room temperature before serving. Chill if not using immediately.

Steps:

• Make the pie dough: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the flour and salt to combine. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the butter is well distributed throughout, and the largest pieces are no larger than a pea. (You can also do this by hand with a pastry cutter in a large bowl.)
• Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the ice water and toss the mixture with your hands to distribute the water throughout the flour. Once the mixture is very fine, press and knead it a few times until it comes together. If there are portions of the dough that are more hydrated, use your hands to break them up, then incorporate the drier portions of the dough. The dough should not be totally smooth, or overly wet. If needed, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture comes together easily in a ball.
• Divide the dough in half and form each into a disk about ½-inch thick. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Make the filling: In a medium pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add apples, tossing to coat in the butter. Add lemon juice, vanilla, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt and stir to combine. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the apples start to soften, 5 to 6 minutes.
• In a small bowl, whisk together granulated sugar and flour. Add to the pot and stir well to combine. Stir constantly until the mixture thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. (If you'd like to make it ahead of time, the filling will keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.)
• When the dough is chilled, and using a lightly floured rolling pin on a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk about ¼-inch thick. Use a 4-inch round biscuit cutter or cup to cut about five circles from the dough. (You can also use a plate or stencil as a guide and use a knife to cut.) Wrap the scraps in plastic wrap and chill while you fill the dough.
• Use a fork or small slotted spoon to transfer about 1 heaping tablespoon filling into the center of each circle. (Try to scoop just the apples, leaving behind most of the syrup.) Brush the outside edge of one half of the dough with cool water, then fold the circle in half to encase the filling. Press the edges firmly to seal, then crimp with a fork. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and refrigerate, uncovered, while you shape the remaining pies. Repeat this process with the other disk of dough and combine the dough scraps with the others in the refrigerator.
• Re-roll the combined scraps to create about another 4 circles of dough and repeat the process with the remaining filling.
• Pour 3 to 4 inches oil in a medium, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. When the oil reaches 350 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, you're ready to fry. (You can also test the temperature with a scrap piece of dough; it should immediately rise to the surface.) Line a baking sheet with a few layers of paper towels.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon and salt. Remove the pies from the refrigerator.
• Fry 3 to 4 pieces at a time (or fewer if necessary to avoid crowding) until evenly golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Watch the temperature of the oil. You may need to adjust the heat as you work. When the hand pies are evenly browned, use a spider or slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and transfer to the towel-lined baking sheet to drain.
• After about 1 minute, while the pies are still warm, toss them in the cinnamon sugar to coat, then set on a serving platter. Repeat the frying and coating process with the remaining pies. Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Sift flour and salt together. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time and mix with fork. When the flour mixture is moistened, gather it into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
• Peel and dice the apples and place them in a saucepan. Combine the sugar and cinnamon; pour over the apples and toss to coat. Cook, covered, in a saucepan on low heat. Cook until soft, then mash with fork to form a thick applesauce. Allow to cool.
• Transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thick and cut rounds with a large cookie cutter (4 inches in diameter).
• In each round, place 1 heaping tablespoon fruit. Moisten edges with cold water, fold in half, and press edge with a fork to seal. Repeat with the remaining pastry and filling.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Fry the pies, a few at a time, 2 to 3 minutes on each side; cook until the crust is golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Steps:

• Place the apples into a saucepan with the sugar and cinnamon, and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook the apples, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes; mash the apples with a fork to form a chunky applesauce. Set the apple filling aside.
• Whisk flour and salt together in a bowl, and cut in the shortening with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until the dough is moistened, and knead several times just until dough holds together. Place dough onto a floured surface, pat into a round, and roll out 1/8-inch thick. Use a large round cookie cutter (4 inches in diameter) to cut the dough into 8 rounds.
• Place a heaping tablespoon of apple filling onto the center of a dough round, and use your finger to moisten the edge of the crust with cold water. Fold the dough over the filling, and crimp the edges with a fork to make a half-moon-shaped pie. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Pour the oil into a skillet over medium-high heat, and gently lay 2 or 3 pies into the hot oil. Fry to a golden brown color, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Drain the pies on paper towels. Sprinkle a pinch of confectioners' sugar over each pie to serve. Allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.