Dried Fruit Pie Filling Food

DRIED-FRUIT MINCEMEAT PIE

Steps:

• Make mincemeat:
• In a food processor coarsely chop mixed dried fruit and dates with spices, salt, and sugar. In a heavy saucepan combine dried-fruit mixture, cranberries, and 2 cups water and cook at a bare simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes, or until fruit is tender (mixture will be very thick). In a small bowl stir together cornstarch and 2 tablespoons water until combined well. Stir cornstarch mixture into dried-fruit mixture and simmer, stirring frequently, 2 minutes. Stir in brandy and cool mincemeat. Mincemeat may be used immediately but will improve in flavor if kept, covered and chilled, at least 1 day and up to 1 week. Bring mincemeat to room temperature before proceeding.
• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Keeping remaining dough chilled, on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin roll out half of dough into a 13-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick). Fit round into a 9-inch (1-quart) glass pie plate and trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Chill shell, covered, 30 minutes, or until firm.
• Coarsely chop pecans and in a shallow baking pan toast in middle of oven until a shade darker, about 4 minutes. Stir pecans into mincemeat and spoon into shell, smoothing top. Roll out remaining dough 1/8 inch thick and arrange over filling. Trim dough, leaving a 3/4-inch overhang, and fold overhang under edge of bottom shell, pressing to seal. Crimp edge decoratively.
• In a small bowl whisk together 1/2 tablespoon water and yolk and lightly brush crust with egg wash. Sprinkle crust with sugar and with a knife cut several steam vents.
• Bake pie in middle of oven until crust is golden, 30 to 35 minutes, and transfer to a rack to cool. Pie may be made 8 hours ahead and kept at room temperature. Serve pie warm or at room temperature.

DANISH DELIGHTS - ANY FRUIT, PIE FILLING OR ALMOND

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese, cottage cheese (if using) and sugar until smooth in a mixer. Add egg, lemon peel, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat until well blended.
• If using dried fruit, fold it into the cream cheese mixture. If using fresh fruit, jam or pie filling, hold it aside.
• If using Pillsbury rolls, open crescent rolls. Do not unroll, just slice into 8 pieces. If you made your own, shape into 8 rounds.
• Place on silpat. Press in the center to make a depression for the cream cheese and fruit/filling or jam.
• Place 1/8th of the mixture in the center of each. If using fresh fruit, pie filling or jam, spoon some on top of that in the center of each.
• If using nuts, sprinkle on top now.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
• Remove fro oven and place on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes.
• Mix butter and confectioners' sugar. Then add milk and mix to make icing.
• Drizzle over each danish.

APRICOT AND PEACH FRIED PIES

Steps:

• To Make Crust: In a large bowl, mix together flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture is crumbly. Mix in milk and stir until dough forms a ball. Roll out dough and cut into 18 6-inch circles. Set aside.
• To Make Filling: In a large saucepan, combine apricots, peaches, and sugar. Add enough water to cover fruit. Cover pan and cook over low heat until fruit is falling apart. Remove lid and continue to cook until water is evaporated.
• Place oil or shortening in small high-sided skillet. Place over medium heat. Spoon equal amounts of filling into each pastry circle and fold in half. Seal pastry with a fork dipped in cold water.
• Fry a few pies at a time in hot oil, browning on both sides. Drain pies on paper towels.

DRIED AND FRIED FRUIT PIES

Steps:

• In a small, heavy saucepan, combine the apricots with the water. Simmer over low heat until the fruit is plump and soft and most of the water has been absorbed, about 25 minutes. Add more water if needed.
• Drain the apricots and chop them. Mix the apricots in a small bowl with the jam or preserves, and the nuts or bread crumbs. Refrigerate the filling, if you wish, for as long as 24 hours.
• Roll the pie dough out 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Cut it into rounds with the top of a coffee can or with a large round biscuit or cookie cutter. Spread equal portions of filling on each round, moisten the dough edges lightly, and fold the rounds over into half moon shapes. Crimp the edges with a fork.
• In a heavy saucepan or Dutch oven, heat at least 4 inches of shortening to 350°F Fry the pies in batches, turning them over midway through the cooking, after they rise to the surface. Remove them when they are golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes. Drain them, and sprinkle them with sugar. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before eating. Makes 8 pies.
• Variations: The pies can be baked rather than fried. Place them on a greased baking sheet, brush them with a little beaten egg (1 egg is enough for this batch of pies), sprinkle them with sugar, and bake them at 375°F for about 20 minutes, or until they are lightly browned.
• Experiment with other dried fruit or jam fillings. Try dried peaches simmered in peach nectar with a touch of jalapeno jam, or dried apples with cider, a splash of applejack, and cinnamon.
• FOR THE PIE CRUST: Using a food processor, a bowl with a pastry blender, or your fingers, cut the lard, butter and vegetable shortening into the flour and salt. Whatever method you choose, be careful not to overwork the dough, which would reduce flakiness. Add the water a few tablespoons at a time, until the dough just holds together. Divide the dough into two mounds, wrap them in plastic, and refrigerate them at least 30 minutes (or wrap one mound for the freezer, if you don't plan to use it in the next couple of days).
• If the pie crust is to be baked, preheat the oven to 400°F
• On a floured board or pastry cloth, roll out the dough in a circle a couple of inches larger than the pie pan. To avoid stretching the dough excessively, roll it from the center outwards, lifting the rolling pin after each stroke rather than rolling back over the dough in the opposite direction. Loosen the dough, drape it around the rolling pin, and center the crust over the pan, dropping it gently into place.
• If you're making a one crust pie, crimp the edges decoratively. If your pie is to have two crusts, roll out the second mound of dough, too.
• For a single pre-baked crust, prick the dough in several spots. Cover the pie shell with foil, and weight the foil with dried beans or pie weights. Bake the crust for 10 minutes, and then lower the temperature to 350°F and bake for an additional 15 minutes, or follow the directions in your pie recipe.
• One cowboy commented that a chuck wagon cook "is a sort of human that was kicked in the head by a brindle cow or a cross-grained mule when very young...They're temperamental as wimmin too; an' like the bosses, don't need no sleep neither." -Quoted in Ramon Adams, Come and Get It.
• Texas Home Cooking.

FRIED APPLE PIES-DRIED FRUIT

Steps:

• Cook the apples with the water in a large covered pot over medium-low heat for 1 hour, or until all liquid has been absorbed.
• Stir occasionally.
• Add the sugar, butter, and cinnamon, mixing well.
• Set aside to cool.
• Prepare recipe# 22729 by Darleen Summers or Unfold the refrigerated pie crust and roll out until a 12 inch circle has been formed-repeat with the remaining crust.
• Cut each crust into 9 4-inch circles (do the same with the homemade crust if using).
• Place one heaping Tablespoon of pie filling onto each circle, slightly off center.
• Moisten the edges with water and fold over, gently pressing out any air.
• Crimp with a fork.
• In a heavy skillet melt/heat oil over medium high heat, bringing it to a tempture of 350 degrees.
• Fry pies in batches, 2 minutes per side or until golden brown.
• Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
• Makes 16-18 fried pies.
• If you wish while hot sprinkle with granulated sugar.