I wanted to make a fun dessert for Valentine’s Day. The hubby loves pie but I was not in the mood for a full on pie so I thought about mini pies but then I thought about it and wanted to try something different so I decided to make hand pies. Heart shaped fruit hand pies as a matter of fact – they were the perfect dessert for our dinner.

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How To Make Heart Shaped Fruit Hand Pies

Makes 9

For the Crust:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 TBS granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
6 TBS cold, unsalted butter
1/4 cup shortening
2 – 3 TBS ice water (more if needed)

For the Fillings:

1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup cherries, cut in small pieces
1/2 cup strawberries, cut in small pieces
3 tsp powdered sugar, divided
water
1 egg mixed with a splash of water
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate
1 tsp butter
edible glitter if desired

Make the Crust:

Whisk together the flour, sugar and salt.
Using a pastry blender or two knives cut in the butter and shortening
Add 3 TBS of the ice water. Mix with a fork. If you need to add more water to get the dough to come together do so a teaspoon at a time.
Do not over mix.
Gather the mixture into a ball, remove to a surface lightly dusted with flour and knead a few times to form a cohesive dough.
Form into a disc, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least an hour.
While the dough is resting mix each type of fruit with a tsp of powdered sugar and set aside.
Dust your surface with a little bit of flour and roll the dough out to about 1/4″ thick

Using a 4″ heart shaped cookie cutter cut out as many as you can.
Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
When all the dough has been used put the cookie sheet in the refrigerator to chill the dough hearts for 30 minutes.
Heat the oven to 400

Place about a tablespoon to a tablespoon and a half of fruit in the center of a heart.
Top with a second heart and press around the edges with a fork. Cut an X at center to let steam escape.

Brush the hearts with the egg wash and sprinkle the tops with sugar in the raw if desired
Bake in the preheated oven for 22- 25 minutes, turning once during baking, until the hearts are golden brown.

Remove to a wire rack to cool.

Melt the chocolate with the tsp of butter and drizzle over the baked hearts
Sprinkle with edible glitter if desired

How Were the Heart Shaped Fruit Hand Pies?

They were quite tasty if I do say so myself. I will admit they are rustic but we both enjoyed them very much. One is just the perfect size for a nice bit of sweet after dinner or for a snack. The dough is flaky, the fruit filling is still slightly tart and the chocolate does what chocolate does best. These would be the perfect ending to any romantic dinner. Not a super fancy celebration dessert but a good one.