Overview & What You’re Trying to Achieve
Fried fruit pies (apple or peach) are small hand pies or turnovers filled with fruit, sealed, and then fried until golden and crispy. The goal is:
A crispy, golden exterior
A well‑thickened, flavorful fruit filling
A dough that holds up to frying (not soggy, not too greasy)
Good sealing so the filling doesn’t leak
Balanced sweetness, spice, and texture
There are many versions online:
King Arthur has a good Fried Apple Pies recipe: spiced apple filling, wrapped in pie dough, then fried.
King Arthur Baking
Food Network’s Fried Peach Pie (Jimmy Bannos) uses butter, preserves, peaches, a custom dough, then frying.
foodnetwork.com
Erin McDowell offers a more refined Fried Apple Pies version with flaky dough and caramel apple filling.
Erin Jeanne McDowell
Southern Plate shares Lela’s Fried Peach Pies using dried peaches + homemade dough + frying.
Southern Plate
Taste of the South lists a classic Fried Peach Pies (hand pies) with dough made with butter + lard, filling of fresh peaches, sugar, and spices.
Taste of the South
This guide synthesizes the best practices across those, giving you flexibility.
Ingredient Roles & What You Can Adjust
Before the recipe, here’s why each ingredient is included and how to tweak or substitute.
Component Role / Benefit Flexible Options / Notes
Fruit (apple or peach, fresh or dried) Main filling, offers flavor, texture Use fresh, canned, or rehydrated dried fruit. If very juicy, reduce liquid or thicken more.
Sugar (white, brown) Sweetness, flavor, helps thicken juices Adjust sweetness to taste. Brown sugar gives deeper caramel notes.
Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.) Depth of flavor, warmth Use apple pie spice, or custom blends. For peaches, a touch of ginger or cardamom can work.
Lemon juice / acid Brightness, balance, slows oxidation for apples Important so filling is not flat.
Thickener (cornstarch, Clearjel, flour) Prevents filling from being runny and keeps it inside the pie Use enough to balance juiciness; overthickening makes gummy texture.
Pie dough / pastry Envelope, structural support for frying Needs to be flaky but sturdy; often made with fat + solid pieces, chilling helps.
Fat (butter, lard, shortening) Tenderness, flavor, flakiness Many recipes use butter + lard or butter + shortening.
Egg wash or milk/brushing Helps with browning, sealing edges Use lightly to avoid sogginess.
Oil for frying Deep frying medium, gives crisp texture Use neutral oil with decent smoke point (vegetable, canola, peanut)
With that in mind, here is a master recipe you can use as your “go-to,” plus variations.
Master Recipe: Fried Apple or Peach Pies (Hand Pies)
Yield & Timing
Yields: ~8–16 pies depending on size (you can scale)
Prep + dough + filling: ~1 hour
Chilling / resting (optional but recommended): ~30 minutes
Frying time: ~2–3 minutes per side (depends on thickness / temperature)
Total: ~1½ to 2 hours (or more with chilling)
Ingredients (Master Version)
Filling (choose apple or peach or mixture):
~3 medium apples (≈ 300–400 g) peeled, cored, diced (or peaches, peeled & chopped)
½ to ¾ cup granulated sugar (or combination white + brown)
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg (optional)
1‑2 Tbsp cornstarch (or thickener)
Pinch of salt
½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Pastry / Dough:
2 ¼ to 2 ½ cups all‑purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar (optional)
¼ to ½ cup (about 60–113 g) butter, cold and cubed
2 Tbsp (or more) shortening or lard (optional, helps with flakiness)
Cold water (ice water) for binding (a few Tbsp)
(Optional) egg or milk for wash
Frying:
Neutral oil (vegetable, canola, peanut) — enough for deep or shallow fry (maintain ~350–375 °F / ~175–190 °C)
Finishing:
Powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or glaze (sugar + milk or lemon juice)
Step‑by‑Step Method & Tips
Here’s a comprehensive procedure, with explanations and optimizations.
1. Prepare Filling
If using fresh fruit, peel, core, and dice into small pieces (¼ to ½ inch).
In a saucepan, melt butter, add fruit, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Cook over medium heat, stirring, until fruit softens and releases juice.
Stir in cornstarch (or thickener) mixed with a bit of water to avoid lumps, and cook until mixture thickens to a jammy consistency.
Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla (if using).
Let filling fully cool (important, so dough doesn’t puff or leak).
If the filling is still too loose after cooling, you can chill it to help firm.
Tips & notes:
Many recipes stress chilling the filling so it doesn’t burst through pastry while frying.
For dried fruit (e.g. dried peaches), rehydrate first by simmering in water or juice until tender, then proceed. (Lela’s recipe uses dried peaches)
Southern Plate
Use apples such as Granny Smith for balance (tartness + structure) if using apples.
If the filling is very juicy, use more thickener or reduce liquid first.
2. Make the Dough / Pastry
In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, salt, and sugar (if using).
Cut in cold butter cubes and optional shortening, using a pastry cutter, fork, or fingers, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits (small bits of fat remain unmixed).
Add a few Tbsp of cold water (ice water) slowly and mix just until dough comes together; avoid overmixing. You want it to hold but still be tender.
Form dough into a disk, wrap in plastic, and chill for ~20–30 minutes (this helps relax the dough and firm the fat).
Chilling helps the dough not shrink or leak when frying.
Tips:
Work quickly and keep dough cold. Warm dough will get greasy and not hold.
If dough is too dry, add more ice water 1 Tbsp at a time; too wet, add a bit more flour.
You can add a little additional fat (butter, lard) if you like flakier texture.
3. Assemble Pies
Roll dough on lightly floured surface to ~⅛ to ¼ inch thickness (depending on how thick you want crust).
Cut rounds (or shapes) — e.g. 4‑5 inch circles or ovals. Use a cutter or follow a pattern.
Place ~1 to 2 Tbsp of cooled filling in the center of each dough round. Don’t overfill — leave margin to seal.
Lightly brush the edge with water, milk, or egg wash. Fold the dough over (into a half-moon shape) to enclose filling.
Press edges firmly, crimp with fork or use decorative sealing. You can cut small vent holes in the top.
Place assembled pies on parchment or tray briefly while you heat oil.
4. Heat Oil for Frying
Heat oil in a pot or deep pan to ~350–375 °F (≈ 175–190 °C). Use a thermometer.
If you don’t have deep frying oil depth, you can shallow fry by using enough oil to cover half the pie, flipping halfway — but deep or enough oil gives better evenness.
Don’t overcrowd the pan. Fry a few at a time to keep oil temperature steady.
5. Fry Pies
Gently lower pies into hot oil, one or two at a time (depending on size and pan).
Fry until golden brown on one side (~1.5–2 minutes), then flip and fry the other side similar time. Total ~3–4 minutes or until crisp and golden.
Use slotted spoon or tongs; drain on paper towels or wire rack.
If pies are large or thick, you may need slightly longer fry time. Monitor and adjust temperature as needed.
6. Finish & Serve
While still warm, you can dust with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar.
Or drizzle with glaze (powdered sugar + milk or lemon juice) if desired.
Serve warm — fried pies are best eaten soon (crust is crispest fresh).
Full Printable Version (Master Fried Fruit Pies)
Here’s a consolidated version you can follow or print:
Fried Apple or Peach Hand Pies
(Yields ~8–16 depending on size)
Total Time: ~1½ to 2 hours
Ingredients
Fruit Filling
~3 medium apples (peeled, cored, diced) or peaches
½ to ¾ cup granulated sugar (or mix white + brown)
2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg (optional)
1‑2 Tbsp cornstarch (or other thickener)
Pinch of salt
½ tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Dough / Pastry
2 ¼ to 2 ½ cups all‑purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar (optional)
¼ to ½ cup cold butter, cubed
2 Tbsp cold shortening or lard (optional)
Cold water (ice water) for binding
Frying / Finishing
Neutral oil (for frying)
Powdered sugar, cinnamon sugar, or glaze for dusting
Method
Make filling: Simmer fruit + sugar + butter + lemon + spices until soft, then thicken with cornstarch; allow to cool.
Make dough: Combine flour, salt, sugar; cut in cold butter + fat; slowly add ice water until dough holds. Chill ~20–30 min.
Roll & cut: Roll dough to ~⅛–¼” thickness; cut rounds.
Fill & seal: Place filling, fold over, seal edges, vent top if desired.
Heat oil: Preheat oil to ~175–190 °C.
Fry pies: Fry pies until golden on both sides (~3–4 min total). Drain.
Finish: Dust or glaze while warm. Serve immediately.
Variations, Tips, Troubleshooting & Enhancements
Below are detailed notes to help you succeed, adapt, or get creative.
Variations / Alternative Approaches
Using canned or preserved fruit: Drain well, reduce extra syrup, then thicken and cool before stuffing.
Dried fruit pies: Southern Plate’s Lela’s Peach pies use dried peaches.
Southern Plate
Biscuits / pre-made crusts: Some folks use biscuit dough or pre-made pie crusts for convenience.
Savory fried pies: Use savory fillings (meat, vegetables) with same method — omit sugar/spices, adjust salt.
Glazing / coatings: After frying, you can dip in cinnamon sugar, dust with powdered sugar, or drizzle icing.
Air fryer or oven finish: In some cases, you can bake or air fry pies instead of deep frying to reduce oil use (but texture changes).
Tips & Best Practices
Chill everything: Cold fat, cold filling, chilled dough reduce oil absorption and improve crispness.
Don’t overfill: Too much filling causes leakage or bursting.
Vent holes: Small cuts or slits allow steam to escape, keeping crust crisp.
Maintain oil temperature: If oil cools too much, pies absorb more oil; if too hot, crust burns before interior cooks.
Fry few at a time: So temperature stays stable.
Monitor color, not just time: Adjust as needed.
Drain well: Use wire rack or paper towels to drain excess oil.
Serve warm: Fried pies are best when fresh.
Leftover handling: Store airtight and reheat in oven or air fryer to re-crisp.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Problem Cause Fix / Advice
Crust soggy or greasy Oil too cool, overfilling, dough too moist Raise oil temp, fry in small batches, chill dough, reduce moisture
Filling leaks / bursts Poor sealing, too much filling, no vent Seal edges well, use egg wash, make vents
Burnt crust but filling underdone Oil too hot or crust thick Lower temp, fry slightly longer at moderate heat
Dough tears / falls apart Dough too warm or overworked Chill dough, handle gently, use a bit more fat or binding
Filling too runny Insufficient thickening, too much moisture Use more cornstarch, reduce liquid cooking time
Heavy / dense crust Overmixing or too much flour Mix until just combined, use correct fat ratio
Real‑World Tips from Cooks & Redditors
One user suggested using biscuit dough as a shortcut — roll thin, fill, egg wash, fry.
A deep-frying recipe from reddit uses shortcrust pastry, chops apples, freezes pies briefly before frying for better shape retention.
One complaint: after freezing or storing, the filling sometimes separates (liquid leaches). The solution is to use fresh filling or freeze the pies before frying.
Serving Ideas & Pairings
Serve warm so the crust is crisp and the filling is gooey
Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream
Drizzle with caramel sauce or warm chocolate
Pair with a warm beverage (coffee, tea, cider)
For brunch or breakfast, serve next to yogurt or fruit salad
Dust with powdered sugar or cinnamon sugar just before serving
If you like, I can convert this into a Morocco‑adapted version (with local fruits, spices, oven/frying conditions) or send you a mini fried pies / bite-sized version for snacking. Do you want me to prepare one of those?
0 comments:
Post a Comment