This is inspirational baking.  Hand held apple pies, that are take alongs, so good, they will inspire sing alongs.

There is a great myth amongst savory cooks that baking is not creative. I used to say this myself. “Baking is so precise that you must follow someone else’s recipe and, therefore, all the fun is taken out of the kitchen.”

It’s almost as if the pastry chefs of this world think they have secrets that no savory chef or home cook can master. Blogging has changed this faulty thinking. There are so many ways to be creative with cakes and pastries. It only takes a little practice, no different than making that first soup or roast chicken.  Pie making is the best place to strum the improv. You can push the envelope of creativity by making sweet things savory or by creating your own combinations. In this case, my little apple pies are slathered in  Amish made, black raspberry jam.

These little babies can be served at a high tea, a brunch, a dinner party, a luncheon, or taken to a picnic. They can wrapped up and given as a gift, or taken to a hospital. They transport with grace and are received with great pleasure. Use 1 recipe for pie dough (there may be some left over).

They can be made with the help of four-year old boys. Just be careful.Our dog, Eeyore,  had a complete flour face by the end of it. One little boy ate three in a row right out of the oven and it was almost impossible to take pictures. These are good signs of the success of a made up dessert that has no recipe from a savory cook who just a few short years ago didn’t know how to bake.

Ryder suggested that we make the apple pies with blueberries the next time. Now he is an imaginative, unafraid future cook who will go much further in the kitchen than me, because he’s getting such an early start.

I made a sweet and a savory version and will come back to you with that savory version which belongs in the appetizer category.

Tell me are you one of those savory cooks who is afraid to bake?

And, just in case you missed the Autumn apple pie,

Use 1 recipe for pie dough (there may be some left over).

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Hand Held Apple Pies, Laced with Raspberry Jam

Hand held apple pies, not quite a cookie, not quite a pie, but a combination of both.

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 4 apples
• 1 recipe for pie dough
• 1/4 cup sugar
• lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• there may be some left over
• raspberry jam or jelly
• milk to brush on pies before baking
• raw sugar to sprinkle on pies before baking
• cookie cutter I used an apple; you can use a circle about 3 inches diameter

Instructions

• Peel and slice apples, removing core and seeds. It's easiest to slice thin and layer multiple apples, but you can also do thick slices.
• Toss with sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, and set aside for 30 minutes. Make pie dough.
• Roll out pie dough thinner than you would for apple pie because your filling is not as high. Cut out with cookie cutter.
• Don't skip this step. Put cut out pie dough on a cookie sheet that will fit in your freezer and freeze for 10-15 minutes. Freezing keeps the pie dough intact to fill and won't fall apart when assembling.
• Top with jam or jelly. Top with apples. Top with more jam or jelly. Top with another pie dough cut out. Pinch the edges together, but not totally. It looks nice for some of the filling to be showing You can freeze at this point or bake.
• Place on baking sheet that has parchment or wax paper, as some jelly may come out and stick.
• Brush with milk and sprinkle with raw sugar.
• Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes, or until bottom is golden brown.

Notes

You can cut this recipe in half to use up a few apples, but I suggest making a lot).
6-8, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch, approximate (don't worry too much, you can add two layers of apples)

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