What’s Cooking: Apple pockets
Chef Vinny, of Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace, shows News 12's Lily Stolzberg how to make apple pockets.
Flaky Pie Dough
Ingredients
2 ¾ cups (12.5 ounces / 350 g) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar
1 ½ teaspoons (5 g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt
If using table salt: use same weight or half as much by volume
2 ½ sticks (10 ounces / 280 g) unsalted butter, cut into ¼-inch slices
6 tablespoons (3 ounces / 85 ml) cold water
Directions
In a large bowl, combine 2 ½ cups (315 g) of the flour, sugar, and salt. Set aside the remaining ¼ cup flour.
Add the sliced butter to the flour mixture and toss to coat. Use your hands or a pastry blender to press the butter into the flour until the mixture has both large flakes and smaller pea-sized bits of butter.
Sprinkle the reserved ¼ cup flour over the mixture and toss gently to combine.
Drizzle the cold water over the dough, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork or your hands until the dough starts to come together. It should look shaggy but hold when pressed.
Gather the dough into a ball, divide it in half, and shape each piece into a disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap.
Refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days) before rolling.
Apple pie filling
Apples – see below for the type of apple recommended. (4 honey crisp apple peeled cored and diced)
Lemon juice – peeled apples get tossed in lemon juice to prevent premature browning.
Water and Cornstarch – cornstarch and water are used as a thickening agent and will help create that signature smooth, gooey filling.
Sugars – Granulated sugar for best flavor.
Seasonings – a mix of cinnamon, salt, and vanilla come together for incredible aroma and taste.
Frosting
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
Process
Stretch pie dough into ¼ inch thickness and use a 3-inch round cutter to make circles
Place 1 teaspoon of apple filling in center, wet edge of dough with water and fold over creating a pocket
Pinch edges together to seal in filling
Bake at 350* for 20 minutes
Cool and ice tops with vanilla frosting.
