Print Recipe

Caramel Pecan Handpies

Ingredients

• All Butter Handpie Pastry Crust
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 4 sticks unsalted butter FROZEN, cut into cubes
• 3/4 cups ice water
• Caramel Pecan Filling
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves or pieces toasted
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate finely chopped, or purchase chips
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• pinch salt
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 4 large eggs

Instructions

1. If you have a 12-cup food processor, you can do this recipe all at once. If you’re like me and have a smaller one, then you will need to half it and make two smaller recipes of dough.
2. Place dry ingredients into food processor and pulse a few times to distribute the salt and sugar. Scatter frozen cubes of butter on top of the flour.
3. Pulse in processor for about 1 second each time until the mixture looks like coarse meal. You can take a knife and fluff it around to be sure no large chunks are under the blade. This should be about 7-9 pulses. I learned the hard way that you need to be sure the butter is small – you want flecks, but not large chunks or you’ll have a pool of butter on the baking sheet.
4. Once the butter is cut in, add the ice water through the chute about a tablespoon at a time while you continue short pulses. The mixture will not look like cookie dough – it will probably look a little crumbly. Periodically check to see if the dough pinches together. When the dough begins to hold together, turn it out onto saran wrap, form into a ball, wrap and press it into a disc. If you did one large batch, separate the dough into two discs. Refrigerate for an hour or up to two days.

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Toast pecans on a baking sheet for 8 minutes until brown and fragrant. Coarsely chop them (not too fine – chunks are good).
2. Make your caramel. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, place one cup of sugar and 1/2 cup water. Cook on the stove until is begins to thicken and caramelize. When the mixture begins to turn color, swirl it occasionally and stand guard until it is a light to medium amber color.
3. When the caramel has reached the right color, reduce the heat to low and add the butter while whisking. As soon as the butter is incorporated, add the half and half a little bit at a time. The mixture may clump a bit, but just keep stirring over the heat and it will melt back down a bit. Remove from the heat, add 1 teaspoon of the vanilla and a pinch of salt. Whisk until smooth. Pour 1 cup of the caramel into a medium bowl and set the rest aside.
4. Let the sauce cool for a few minutes and then add the chocolate, espresso powder, brown sugar, and remaining 1 teaspoon vanilla. Once incorporated, add the eggs and whisk until smooth. Fold in pecans and a pinch of salt.
5. Coat a 9 x 13 baking pan with non-stick spray. Spread the pecan mixture into the pan and bake at 375 for about 25 minutes or until puffed and set. Gently stir to recombine and pour in additional caramel sauce. Cool completely in the refrigerator. THIS IS A GREAT STEP TO DO AHEAD OF TIME.
6. While the filling is cooling, remove dough from fridge. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough as you would for a pie – about 1/8 inch thick. Using a 5 inch round cutter (can, glass…), cut circles and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Return to the refrigerator until filling is cool.

1. Remove dough circles from fridge and lightly brush with a beaten egg. Place about 2-3T of filling in the middle of each circle. Experiment to see how much you can put in without a disaster.
2. Fold the circle in half and seal edges with the tines of a fork. Place in the freezer while you do the other tray. When both trays have been filled and chilled again, lightly brush each hand pie with beaten egg. Cut a slit in each one to vent and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
3. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown in the middle and lower third of the oven. Rotate baking sheets half way through. Cool on a wire rack.