Individual pies

For the 4th of July I wanted to make an easy, yummy dessert.  I had seen this recipe and decided to attempt it while making a few changes.  This was a very easy last minute dessert and they look store-bought and very impressive.  The best part is you can really make any filling you want.  They also make a great dessert for a picnic.

Makes 6 pies

Ingredients

1 T cornstarch

2 cups frozen assorted berries

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 vanilla bean scraped (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)

pinch of salt

a box of puff pastry dough (2 sheets come in the box)

1 egg white 

1) Mix the cornstarch with 1 T water and set aside.  

2) In a medium saucepan combine the berries, cranberries, sugar, vanilla beans, and salt.  Bring to a boil for 5 minutes.  Add the cornstarch mixture and, stirring constantly, bring up to a boil and remove from heat.  It will thicken a lot.  Allow to cool completely (I also put the filling into a bowl to help it cool faster).  Stir it every so often while it's cooling.

3) Remove the puff pastry from the freezer and allow to come to room temp, or at least soften (about 30 minutes).  Combine the egg white with some water to make an egg wash.

4) Cut each puff pastry sheet into 6 even pieces.  Place the filling on half of the pieces, leaving a 1/2 inch border.  On the other pieces make 3 slits using a knife. 

5) Brush the border around the filling with the egg wash and also brush the top pieces of dough.   Put a top piece over the bottom piece and seal together by crimping with a fork.  Brush the tops with the egg wash and sprinkle on some raw sugar.  Chill in the freezer for 20-30 minutes.

6)  Bake in a preheated oven at 375 F for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve warm or at room temp.