Raspberry Heart Hand Pies
This gluten-free and grain-free raspberry heart-shaped hand pie is the perfect treat for Valentine's Day. Made with almond flour and sweetened with maple syrup, this hand pie is lower in carbs and delicious and bursts with flavor. The heart shape is perfect for the holiday and symbolizes the love that went into making it. Each bite is filled with a sweet and tart raspberry filling that is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
MAKES: Eight Hand Pies
INGREDIENTS
2 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 cup cassava flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons maple syrup
gluten-free all-purpose flour for rolling
egg whites for egg wash (optional)
Raspberry Filling
8-ounce bag of frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon maple syrup
pinch of salt
2 teaspoons arrowroot
PREPARATION
1 Add almond flour, cassava flour, and salt to a food processor and pulse until mixed. Add in the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
2 In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and maple syrup. Place the flour mixture into a large bowl, pour in the egg yolk and maple syrup mixture, and keep mixing the flour with a spatula until it starts forming a ball. Use your hands at the very end to bring the dough together.
3 Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
4 Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
5 Roll the dough in between two floured* pieces of parchment paper, lightly brushing the flour in between the dough and the parchment. Roll out the dough to your desired thickness, about 1/4-inch thick.
6 Cut out the hearts using a cookie cutter and place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. We used a slightly larger heart cutter for the top. Place the pie bottoms in the freezer while you work on the tops.
7 Remove the pie bottoms from the freezer, place about 1 tablespoon of pie filling, and form into a heart shape. Place the top on the pie filling and press down gently, creating a seal and removing any air. Using a knife, score some air vents.
8 Stick the pies in the freezer for another 10 minutes for best results, then bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
9 For the filling, place the frozen raspberries in a heavy-bottomed saucepan on low until the raspberries start to soften. Add the maple syrup and a pinch of salt and cook down for about 5 minutes, then add the arrowroot. Remove from heat, let cool, then refrigerate until ready to use.
NOTES
You don’t want to overwork the dough with your hands because the heat from your hands will melt the butter, and we want to keep those tiny pieces of butter intact and mixed throughout the dough.
We used Bob’s Red Mills Gluten-free all-purpose baking flour.
These hand pies taste great with other fruit fillings, including apple, strawberry, or blueberry.