Valentine's Day is fast approaching and it's the best time to make those special treats that say more than a box of chocolates! This year I have decided to make Strawberry Heart Hand Pies; they are delicious and taste like pop tarts but aren't too sweet, the perfect size for an after dinner dessert!
INGREDIENTS:
CRUST:
- 2 1/2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons raw sugar
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 8 oz or 2 sticks of cold cubed butter
FRESH STRAWBERRY FILLING:
- 1 cup thinly sliced strawberries
- 3 tablespoons agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon gluten free all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- sugar to sprinkle on top
INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine all ingredients into a large bowl with a hand mixer or food processor, whatever is easier and mix until flour mixture looks like a course meal texture. Slowly add the cold water until the dough has come together. Form the dough into a disc shape and cover in plastic wrap, refrigerate the dough from 3 hours or through overnight.
Preheat the over to 350 degrees. Combine the cut strawberries, lemon, sugar, and flour into a bowl mix and set aside. Roll the dough out to about 1/8th of an inch thick and cut shapes using a heart-shaped cookie cutter. Once shapes are cut add 1 tablespoon of the strawberry filling onto the middle of the dough. If you want to have fun you can cut a small half heart shape to create an extra mini heart on the top half of the dough.
Repeat this process for the rest of the heart pies and place on a parchment-lined backing sheet a 1/2 inch apart. Brush each heart with the egg wash and sprinkle the top with raw sugar. Bake for about 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown.
