Caramelized Pear Hand Pies
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Hand pies with caramelized pears softened into chunky compote. Uses semi-puff pastry circles pressed thin in the center for crisp edges and tender middle. Sweet pear filling added with a splash of lemon and vanilla. Baked until golden, glazed with maple syrup post-oven for shine and subtle sweetness. Keeps well 3 days outside fridge. Gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free tweaks possible.
Prep:
60 min
Cook:
25 min
Total:
85 min
Servings:
6 servings
#French-inspired
#fruit desserts
#hand pies
#gluten-free
#dairy-free option
#winter desserts
Spent years perfecting these pear hand pies. Nothing rubbery or soggy, flaky crust with crunchy edges, pear filling not mush but tender and juicy. Caramelizing sugar first—key. Watch color close, small window between golden and burnt. Got better using olive oil instead of butter in filling—adds moistness without dairy splash. Vanilla optional but nice hit. Learned thinning center dough crucial, thick edge helps hold shape, keeps pie from collapsing. Freezing before baking sets shape—never skip. This method yields crispy, slightly chewy contrast. Maple syrup replaced by agave here—lower glycemic, shiny finish works same. Great midwinter dessert or afternoon tea snack, pairs well with strong black tea or sharp cheese.
Ingredients
- 50 g sugar
- 20 ml water
- 4 ripe but firm Bosc pears peeled cored diced
- 20 ml lemon juice
- 15 ml olive oil
- 1/2 vanilla bean split scraped (optional)
- 6 pre-made gluten-free pie crust discs
- 1 egg yolk beaten
- 30 ml agave syrup
About the ingredients
Reduced sugar slightly to avoid overly sweet filling, fruit delivers plenty. Switched pears to Bosc for firmer hold under heat; Bartlett too soft, sometimes makes filling too runny. Olive oil replaces butter in filling; avoids dairy and offers subtle fruitiness but any neutral oil works. Pastry discs here are gluten free—store bought or homemade with alternative flours. Egg yolk wash critical for color and sealing pores to keep steam and juices inside; brush lightly to avoid soggy edges. Agave syrup swap for maple reduces strong flavors; honey or light corn syrup possible if preferred. Vanillabean optional; use extract if time pressed.
Method
Pear filling
- 1. Heat sugar and water in saucepan til amber caramel forms. Resist stirring, watch color shift from pale gold to deep bronze. Off heat, toss in diced pears, lemon juice, olive oil, vanilla seeds. Sizzle and bubble sharply. Stir gently, caramel will seize but will melt back as fruit softens.
- 2. Simmer gently uncovered, no rush, about 12 minutes, stir to break fruit down slightly. When pears collapse but still chunky, remove vanilla bean pod. Rough-mash with potato masher — chunky bits provide texture contrast.
- 3. Warm mixture thick but not dry. Transfer to bowl, let cool to lukewarm then cover. Chill minimum 45 minutes to firm flavor meld. Filling thickens slightly, important to prevent soggy dough.
Assembly
- 4. Line baking tray with parchment or silicone mat.
- 5. Flour workspace sparingly. Roll discs thinner in center area to about half thickness, leaving edges thicker for good sturdy border. Use 10 cm diameter cutter or repurpose small bowl. You want uneven thickness for crispness and chew. Keep shapes even but don’t obsess.
- 6. Spoon ~40 ml pear filling on top half of each dough round. Use wet finger or pastry brush to moisten dough edge opposite filling to promote seal.
- 7. Fold dough over filling, press edges lightly with fingers to seal initial contact. Then reinforce seal pushing two fingers beside each other around edges, drag back of knife between fingers to crimp decoratively and lock in juice. On rushed days, pinch firmly and fork crimp works too.
- 8. Flash freeze pies 25 minutes to firm edges and stop spreading during baking.
Baking
- 9. Preheat oven to 205 °C with rack centered. Turn pies so flat sides face up. Brush yolk over surface, avoid pooling around edges to prevent sogginess.
- 10. Using sharp knife, score small leaf pattern lightly on surface without cutting through dough. Punch small vent hole at base to let steam escape — avoid dough bubbles or soggy spots during bake.
- 11. Bake 23-28 minutes watching color shift from pale yellow to golden brown, spots turning almost mahogany. Smell nutty, caramel notes deepen, edges crisp fully. Pull out just before dark to retain tender chew inside.
- 12. Immediately brush warm pies with agave syrup to shine and add subtle caramelized sweetness. Cool on rack til warm before serving.
Storage
- 13. Store in airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days. Re-crisp in toaster oven if needed. Freezer friendly — reheat covered to avoid sogginess.
Cooking tips
Sugar caramelization is all about heat control and timing; no stirring until amber achieved to avoid crystallization. When adding pears, caramel hardens first—don’t panic, it’ll melt back with heat and moisture. Simmer gently; too high heat breaks fruit to puree—aim chunky compote. Cooling filling before assembly crucial; hot filling melts dough, leads to leaks. Thinning dough center creates crisp bottom, thick border supports filling, prevents spill. Crimp edges firmly; steam vent at base avoids dough ruptures. Flash freezing pies stabilizes shape and improves final texture—don’t skip or pies will spread weird. Egg wash timing matters—apply just before baking, keeps shine and seals pores for moist interior. Scoring surface enables controlled expansion, brings decorative touch, and prevents bursting. Baking time varies by oven—watch cues not clock. Brush syrups warm off oven for best glaze effect.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Caramelizing sugar demands strict attention, no stirring after amber starts forming or risk crystallizing. Watch color shift from pale gold to deep bronze with soft heat. When tossing pears in, caramel may seize and harden briefly — it melts back with heat and moisture, no panic.
- 💡 For filling texture, simmer gently uncovered to keep chunks intact but break fruit slightly. Avoid puree — chunky bits create contrast to flaky crust. Remove vanilla pod carefully after simmer to avoid bitterness and only scrape seeds before adding for fresh vanilla hit.
- 💡 Thinning dough center to about half thickness while leaving edges thick prevents collapse but retains chew and sturdy rim for sealing in juicy filling. Use small cutter or bowl for consistent rounds. Don’t obsess but keep shapes relatively even for even bake.
- 💡 Flash freeze pies before baking at least 25 minutes. Sets shape, prevents pies from spreading too thin or losing the defined edge during oven time. If skipped, filling may leak and edges go soggy. Freezing also firms edges for easier crimping with fork or knife.
- 💡 Brush egg yolk lightly just before baking, avoid pooling especially near edges to not sog them. Scoring small leaf patterns on top lets steam vent with decorative touch. Punch tiny vent hole at base for controlled steam escape; reduces bubbles and soggy patches.
Common questions
Why caramel sugar seize when adding fruit?
Happens cause caramel cools, moisture hits hot caramel. It hardens fast but melts quickly once heat resumes. Stir gently after initial shock to combine. Don’t worry, fruit acid and water soften and dissolve hard bits during simmer.
Can I use Bartlett or other pears?
Bartlett too soft, fills runny or mushy. Bosc holds shape better under heat, chunks stay intact. If only Bartlett, reduce simmer time or add thickener like cornstarch to compensate. Firmer pears prevent watery filling and soggy dough.
What if dough is too thick in center?
Too thick crust center means dough won’t crisp small bottom, tastes doughy. Crust edges need to stay thick for holding pie shape and sealing filling. Roll discs sparingly, test before assembly by lifting and checking bend, aim half thickness center.
How to store leftover pies?
Airtight container room temp for up to 3 days works, reheating in toaster oven re-crisps edges. Freeze wrapped tightly if longer. Reheat covered from frozen but risk minor sogginess. Don’t stack warm pies, cool completely to avoid moisture buildup.
