Strawberry and Rhubarb Hand Pies
A jammy and portable gluten-free summer dessert or snack, ideal for picnics and lazy afternoons
Hi gorgeous people and happy Sunday. I hope you’re having a wonderful summer if you’re in the UK? The sun is finally here! I’m also soaking up every little bit of the Paris 2024 Olympics I can right now - are you watching?
I really didn’t mean to take the month of July off from this newsletter and I need to say a big sorry for the lack of recipes that landed in your inbox. One amazing (if not hectic) work opportunity led to another, then to two good friend’s weddings and then to a last-minute holiday because my partner had some time off in between jobs. It was an absolute rollercoaster of a month and while it was wonderful, I confess I am excited to be spending a bit more of August at home. A huge thank you for sticking around and for your ongoing support, recipe suggestions and feedback. Know I don’t take it for granted.
Because I’ve been here there and everywhere, our unattended rhubarb plant had the chance to grow like mad. While most of its leaves had been ravaged by snails, its pretty pink and green stems stood strong when we finally got round to picking them and I suddenly had lots of rhubarb to use up and quick.
I made lots of compote - rhubarb and vanilla, rhubarb and ginger - and froze it, but then I got fixated on making a sweet summer pie. Inspired by the insanely good apple turnover I had in Paris and recent picnics with friends where the gluten-free snack and dessert options had had to be uninspiring last-minute store-bought bits (sound familiar?), I got to testing these: strawberry and rhubarb hand pies.
What is a hand pie you might ask? It is simply a pie that sits neatly in your hand. Ideal for picnics and lazy afternoons, they are joyfully portable and can be sweet or savoury. These hand pies are just the right amount of sweet: a seasonal jammy strawberry and rhubarb filling sits on top of a creamy almond frangipane base - all encased in a tender, flaky shortcrust pastry moon-shaped pie.
You can make this into one big pie of course, but there’s something about the buttery crust to jammy filling ratio that I think works better. Plus, they’re fun to hold.
The almond frangipane layer here not only adds so much flavour but helps prevent that dreaded soggy bottom (and divided between the pies it stays well within the low FODMAP limit - more notes below).
Hope you love ‘em! And speak much sooner this time x
Quick PSA: I’ve called these hand pies because I’ve made them with a quick shortcrust pastry rather than a puff or a rough puff. You could absolutely use a gluten-free store-bought shortcrust or puff pastry here - but in the UK there seems to be only one gluten-free pastry (puff) available in shops and it’s not clear if it’s suitable for those on the elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet, so I really wanted to give you a homemade option.
If you have access to great store-bought shortcrust or puff pastry where you live and don’t fancy making your own though, go for it! These pies can also be made with wheat pastry, of course - and any seasonal fruit that gets jammy when cooked can be swapped in too.
Assembly tips
A quick note on assembly - remember friends, that you are in charge of pastry and it is not in charge of you! If you happen to be making these on a hot day, remember that the fridge is your best bud. If at any stage the pastry starts to get too soft, pop it or the half-assembled pies in the fridge for a 5 minute chill. Get yourself an icy drink, have a pause and then get back to it. Cold pastry will hold its shape in the oven much better, so it’s always best to keep it as chilled as you can - especially right before baking.
Strawberry and Rhubarb Hand Pies - the recipe
Makes 8 hand pies
About 1 hour, plus chilling
Such a good portable summer dessert, ideal for picnics and lazy afternoons. For ease, you can make the pastry and frangipane the day ahead. Then on the day of baking, simply roll out the pastry, toss the fruit, assemble and bake.
For the pastry:
300g gluten-free plain flour blend
1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
150g unsalted butter, chilled
1 medium egg, whisked
2 tablespoons milk (can be lactose free)
2 tablespoons demerara sugar
For the filling:
2 sticks rhubarb, trimmed and thinly sliced
125g strawberries, trimmed and thickly sliced
3 tablespoons golden caster sugar
Zest of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons cornflour
¼ teaspoon sea salt
For the frangipane:Â
40g golden caster sugar
40g unsalted butter, softened
50g ground almonds
¼ teaspoon sea salt
A few drops of almond extract (optional)
1 medium egg
Start by making the pastry: sift the flour, xanthan gum and salt into a large bowl. Work the butter into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs, then stir the egg in quickly with a cutlery knife. Bring the dough together, adding a tablespoon or two of milk if it feels dry, then tip the pastry out onto cling film or baking paper and shape into a smooth disc. Wrap tightly and chill in the fridge until firm (at least 1 hour).
To make the fruit filling, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, lemon zest, cornflour and salt in a bowl.Â
In a second bowl, to make the frangipane layer, combine the sugar, butter, ground almonds, salt and almond extract, if using. Whisk the egg well and add roughly ½ of it into the frangipane mixture, mixing well to combine. Reserve the rest to egg wash the pastry.
Preheat your oven to 210°C, 190°C fan and line two trays with baking paper. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll out the dough until roughly 3-4mm thick. Using a roughly 10 cm sized cookie cutter, or small bowl, cut out 8 circles.Â
Place a small spoonful of frangipane on one half of a circle and spread it out to create a half moon shape, leaving a small border around the edge. Add a spoonful of fruit on top of the frangipane.
Whisk the leftover egg with a teaspoon of water or milk and brush it around the edge of the pastry before folding the plain half over the top of the filled half to create a little moon-shaped pie. Use the tines of a fork to seal the pie on its curved side. Repeat with the rest of the pastry and filling.
Brush the pies with egg wash and sprinkle with demerara sugar. Using a sharp knife, cut a small slit in the centre of each pie to allow the steam to escape. If they’ve gotten a little warm by this point, chill for 15 minutes in the fridge. Place the pies in the oven and bake until golden brown and you can see juices bubbling out of the top - 25-30 minutes. Let cool slightly before eating.Â
Talking FODMAP — Using Monash FODMAP data, 1 of these hand pies should be suitable for the elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet - but as always, please adapt, including serving sizes if needed, to where you’re at and do what works for you
Need these to be dairy free? — Simply sub in a dairy-free butter and milk alternative
Mix up your flours — I’ve been enjoying subbing out some of the standard gluten-free plain flour blend for naturally gluten-free buckwheat flour, for a bit more flavour and chew in my pastry. I subbed out 75g of the gluten-free blend here for buckwheat flour and it was delicious