Easy Cherry Hand Pies

Well guys, as summer fast approaches and I still have a cupboard full of preserves, I'm looking for new ways to use them up. I eat them in yogurt almost every day, I put them on toast, make milkshakes with them, but I'm always looking for more ideas. Last week I made this Apricot Custard Tart, and since I had  leftover dough from that, I decided that this week I would make hand pies using sour cherry preserves!

Now, I'll say this: it was not my most, er, elegant work, but they came out super tasty and with a little more care they will look as good as they taste!

Ingredients:

• Prepared pie dough for a double crust. I used the recipe found over here. If you would like to use that recipe, double it or you'll only end up with 3 hand pies since it's for a single crust! I would also recommend doubling the sugar called for in that recipe for a sweeter crust.
• Two half pint jars of Sour Cherry (or other fruit) preserves
• 1 egg
• Approximately 1/8 cup granulated sugar (fine granules are ok, but coarse would be better if you've got it in your cupboard. I did not.)

1. Preheat your oven to 350°.

2. Roll out your pie dough to 1/8" thick. I like to roll my dough 

   between 2 sheets of greased saran wrap since gluten free dough 

   tends to get quite sticky.

3. Cut your dough into 4" circles. I used a 4" tart pan, but you 

   could use a biscuit cutter, a bowl, etc. To maximize the use  

   of your dough, you may need to re-roll it after you've cut a 
   few out so you can keep cutting more.

4. Place half of your dough rounds on a baking sheet lined with 

   parchment paper, and reserve the other half.

5. Place 2tbs of cherry preserves in the center of each round on 

   your baking sheet. This picture makes me drool. Yum!

6. Top each pie crust round on your baking sheet with one of the 

   ones you reserved. Then, using a fork, pinch together the 

   edges to seal the pie, and poke two sets of holes in the top 

   of the pie using your fork.

7. Got any holes or imperfections on the top crust of your hand pies? Me too! I always use leftover dough scraps to make cute little shapes to cover them up. Easy as, well, pie. Cue sad trombone noise.

8. In a small bowl, beat the egg well. Then using a pastry brush,  

   brush the pies with the beaten egg.

9. Sprinkle sugar over the top of the pies. No exact amount here, 

   just enough to give it that lovely bit of extra crunch and 

   sweetness when they're all baked up.

10. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes or until golden brown, bubbly, 

    and dreamy looking.

11. Let cool to warm but not hot. Serve with vanilla ice cream, and eat up!

Til next time!

-Becca