Seasonal fruit pot pies
INGREDIENTS
Cream cheese pastry dough
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons sugar 2teaspoons lemon zest, finely grated ½ teaspoon kosher salt 8ounces unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes, chilled 8 ounces cream cheese, cut into ½-inch cubes, chilled
Fruit
½ cup brown sugar ¼ cup flour 1 teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg ½ teaspoon kosher salt 8 cups fresh fruit: blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, peaches, mango, apples or plums 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 teaspoons vanilla 2tablespoons butter ¼ cup cream (for brushing dough) 2 tablespoons coarse sugar, for sprinkling
Soft whipped cream
½ cup heavy cream 1 teaspoon powdered sugar ½ teaspoon vanilla
DIRECTIONS
Pastry dough: In a food processor, pulse the flour, sugar, lemon zest and salt for a few seconds to mix ingredients. Scatter butter cubes over the flour mixture, and pulse until the mixture has the consistency of cornmeal. Scatter the cream cheese cubes over the mixture and process until ingredients just come together in a ball. Shape dough into two discs, about ¾-inch thick. Wrap in plastic and chill for 1 hour or overnight. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place 12 large ramekins on a sheet pan. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add fruit, lemon juice and vanilla; gently toss to combine. Spoon about 1cup of the fruit mixture into each ramekin; dot them with a small pat of butter. On a lightly floured surface, roll out a disc of pastry until it is about ¼-inch thick. Using a 4½-inch round cutter, cut out dough circles that are just a bit larger than the ramekins. Set a pastry circle on top of each fruit-filled ramekin and gently press the pastry down into the ramekin around the edge. Repeat with remaining dough and remaining pot pies. (Tip: You can do a lattice or spiral topping instead, if you want to get fancy.) Whisk together the whipped cream ingredients — the ½ cup cream, powdered sugar and vanilla — until soft peaks form. (If you overmix it and it looks too stiff or lumpy, just add a bit more cream and mix it slowly — it will loosen up.) Using a pastry brush, brush a light coating of cream over the pastry; sprinkle with coarse sugar. Using a small pairing knife, make a couple of slits in the center of the pastry to allow steam to escape. Bake for 30minutes, or until the pastry is golden and the fruit is bubbly. Serve warm with a dollop of soft whipped cream.