My obsession with McDonald's fried apple pies is well known amongst family and friends. You can be fairly certain that if I come across a franchise that has the fried pies on the menu I will definitely be buying them. Unfortunately it's the baked variety that is commonly sold in the States so I have to get my fried pie fix when I'm out of the country (normally you can find them in Europe).
I've got peaches on the brain lately because we're at the height of the season. As I was looking up peach recipes on Cook's Illustrated I came across this recipe for Fried Peach Hand Pies. What? A fried pie made with peach filling? Sold!
What I particularly love about this recipe is that you can use either fresh or frozen peaches, especially handy when it's not peak peach season. The crust couldn't be simpler to make in the food processor and is easy to work with. I tested the recipe using frozen peaches and, call me crazy, I actually think the peach flavor is more pronounced using frozen fruit. Who would have known?
The deep fat fryer I bought at the beginning of the pandemic made quick work of frying the pies in no time at all. Is there anything better than the sound of food frying? Impatient to see how they tasted I had to have a taste of a fried pie while it was still hot. One bite and I was not disappointed. So delicious! The golden brown crust was nice and flaky and the filling was bursting with peach flavor. I gave some pies to my sister to taste and she said they were fantastic. Now I want to try other fruit fillings to use with the dough. Dare I attempt to replicate my beloved McDonald's fried apple pie? We shall see....
