Blackberry Lavender Cream Pies

  Blackberry Lavender Cream Pies

Servings:about 20 four-inch pies

Prep Time:25 min

Cook Time:20 min

Difficulty:Medium

 

Ingredients:

Doubled pie dough recipe of your choosing
1 egg, beaten for wash

Berry Filling
1 pound blackberries
⅓ cup raw sugar (or honey, if preferred)
4 teaspoons lemon juice
¼ cup cold water
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Cream Filling
4 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
⅓ cup raw sugar (or honey, if preferred)
1 large egg yolk
2–3 drops Lavender oil

 

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, add blackberries, ⅓ cup raw sugar, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer, stirring often to avoid scorching. 
2. In a jar or cup, mix together ¼ cup cold water and the cornstarch. As the berry mixture begins to simmer, slowly whisk the cornstarch mixture in.
3. Reduce heat to low. Continue cooking the mixture, stirring occasionally for about 15 minutes. The berries should begin to break down, the mixed-in cornstarch turn clear, and the mixture as a whole begin to gel.
4. Using a hand mixer, blend together cream cheese, ⅓ cup raw sugar, and egg yolk in a medium bowl. If using raw sugar, you may need to allow 5–10 minutes for sugar to dissolve, and then stir again.
5. Add two drops of Lavender oil to the cream cheese mixture and stir. Add more to taste.
6. Preheat oven to 400°F.
7. Roll out pie dough and cut with biscuit or cookie cutters in desired shapes.
8. Cut slits in half of the dough slices for a vent. These will be the lids of the hand pies.
9. Spoon equal parts cream cheese and blackberry mixture onto the center of half of the cutout dough. Top with lids and crimp edges with a fork.
10. Brush beaten egg lightly over the tops of the pies. If desired, sprinkle lightly with raw sugar for a rustic look.
11. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until crust starts to golden.

 

Tips:

For a dairy-free recipe, omit the cream filling altogether. Instead, double the blackberry half of the recipe, and stir the Lavender oil directly into the berry mixture once it has been removed from the stovetop.