I always had a problem with Hostess pies as a child. A Table Talk pie, I understood: it was round, like a real pie that had been miniaturized by the same machine used on Mike Teavee in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. But Hostess pies were oblong, and they had those horrible crinkly wrappers that never resealed if you didn’t manage to eat the whole thing.
Happily, Drake’s made bite-sized square pies perfect for sharing with a fellow glazed-pie lover, so that’s the size I’m replicating here. Feel free to make ’em larger if you want to go old-school Hostess style. And as noted in the Toaster Strudel recipe on page 145, because sour cherries have such a short growing season, feel free to use canned or frozen ones in the filling. You can also use fresh sweet cherries instead, but be aware that your pies won’t have that puckery pop of flavor.
YIELD: 9 pies
TOTAL TIME: 3 hours
DIFFICULTY: 4
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: food processor, pastry or pizza cutter
CRUST
2-1/2 cups (10-5/8 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
16 tablespoons (8 ounces) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup ice-cold water
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
1 large egg whisked with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
FILLING
1 pound sour or sweet cherries, pitted and halved
1/2 cup (3-1/2 ounces) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice (1-1/2 teaspoons if using sweet cherries)
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon (1/2 ounce) unsalted butter
GLAZE
2-1/2 cups (10 ounces) powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons whole or reduced-fat milk
MAKE THE CRUST:
Pulse the flour, sugar, and salt together in the bowl of a food processor to sift and combine. Add the butter and pulse on and off in 3-second bursts until partially incorporated, with pea-size butter chunks visible and a texture resembling moist cornmeal.
With the food processor running, drizzle the ice water and vinegar through the feed tube just until a shaggy and crumbly dough starts to form. Transfer to a clean bowl. Divide the dough in half and shape into 2 discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight).
MAKE THE FILLING:
Stir the cherries and sugar together in a wide, heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes, until the cherries are starting to soften and break down. Stir in the lemon juice.
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water together. Reduce the heat to low and whisk the cornstarch slurry into the cherries. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute to thicken the sauce. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until melted. Let the filling cool while you roll out the dough.
ASSEMBLE THE PIES:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat liners.
On a floured surface, roll one of the dough discs into a rough 10-inch square about 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Using a pastry or pizza cutter, slice the dough into 9 (3 by 3-inch) squares. Space them out on the prepared baking sheets. Brush the edges with the egg wash, then place 1 tablespoon cherry filling in the center of each square.
Repeat the rolling and cutting process with the remaining dough disc. Place a dough square atop each cherry-filled square on the baking sheet. Gently seal the edges by pressing with the tines of a fork. Brush the tops of the pies with the egg wash.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until glossy and golden. Transfer the pies to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
While the pies cool, make the glaze by whisking the powdered sugar together with 2 tablespoons milk. Add the final tablespoon of milk a drizzle at a time until the glaze reaches your desired consistency. Spread the glaze on the cooled pastries using a basting brush.
Store the pies in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to a week.
NOT A KNOCKOFF BRAND
In 1998, the Hostess parent company bought Drake’s Cakes and merged some of the operations. That’s why both names appeared on the Drake’s boxes of fruit pies, coffee cakes, Ding Dongs, and more in the New York City area.