Half Moon Pie Pockets Recipes

POCKET PIES FILLED WITH LEFTOVERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
• Working with one disk of dough at a time, roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface. Using an overturned bowl about 5 inches in diameter as a guide, cut out three circles; set aside. Gather dough scraps, reroll, and repeat cutting process. Repeat process with remaining disk of dough.
• For each pocket pie, mix together a 1/4 cup of filling using turkey, mashed or sweet potatoes, stuffing, and/or cranberry sauce as desired. Place each 1/4 cup filling on one side of each dough circle. Moisten edges lightly with water and fold dough over filling to form a half circle. Pinch edges of dough together to seal and crimp with a fork.
• Place pocket pies on a prepared baking sheet; transfer to refrigerator until chilled slightly, about 10 minutes. Pierce each pie on the top twice using the tines of a fork and brush with egg.
• Transfer to oven and bake until golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let pies cool 5 minutes before serving. Pies can also be cooled and frozen, then reheated in the microwave.

CHICKEN HALF MOONS

Steps:

• Lightly grease a large skillet and cook chicken until no longer pink; remove and reserve.
• In a food processor, add onion to puree, then add cheese to puree. Add chicken and puree a final time.
• In a large bowl, add flour and make a well in the center. Add eggs and mix well; add water and adjust with flour and water as needed. Dough should be elastic, but not sticky.
• In a small bowl, beat 1 egg and add one tablespoon of water. On a floured surface, roll out dough until it is 1/4 inch thick or almost paper thin. Cut out 2 inch circles and brush with egg and water mixture. Place 1 teaspoon of stuffing in the middle of the circle and fold over. Seal the half moon by crimping the edge.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add half moons and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until al dente; drain and serve.

AMISH HALF MOON PIES OR PREACHING PIES

Steps:

• Cook the dried apples in a saucepan with water and the salt.
• When apples are soft and pulpy, add the sugar, orange and cinnamon.
• Simmer until water is cooked away.
• Roll pastry out and cut in 8 inch circles.
• Place generous portions of the mixture on half of the pastry rounds; fold the pastry over and pinch the edges tightly together.
• Bake in 450 degree oven for 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake about 35 to 40 minutes longer or until golden brown.

HALF MOON PIE POCKETS

Steps:

• Remove both sheets of puff pastry from the box, set them on a lightly floured surface, and cover with plastic wrap. Do NOT unfold at this point. Let the covered puff pastry sit on the countertop until thawed and just pliable, about 20 minute.
• Meanwhile, position the oven rack on the middle rung. Heat the oven to 425*. Line 2 half sheet pans with parchment or a non-stick liner. Have ready the beaten egg plus 2 tbsp sugar.
• On a lightly floured work surface, carefully unfold pastry. Dust the top of the pastry with a little flour. Roll out each sheet, lightly dusting with flour as needed to prevent the dough from sticking to the rolling pin and work surface, into a 12 inch square. Using a 4" round cookie cutter, cut out 18 circles. Peel away the scraps and cover the rounds with plastic wrap while preparing the filling.
• Select a filling and combine all ingredients in a medium bowl, stirring until blended.
• Place about 1 tbsp of filling on the center of the round. Brush the edge of the dough with egg. Fold half the dough over the filling to form a half-moon. Using the tines of a fork, press the curved edge to seal tightly. Repeat with remaining rounds. (At this point, the pie pockets can be covered with plastic wrap and refridgerated up to 8 hours or frozen up to 1 month before proceeding with the recipe.).
• Arrange the pockets on the prepared sheet pans, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Brush the tops with the remaining egg and sprinkle evenly with sugar. Bake until pastry is puffed and browned, 20 to 25 minute Transfer the sheet pans to racks to cool. Serve warm.
• Pie pockets can be baked up to 6 hours ahead and reheated in a 300* oven until warm, about 15 minute.

COPYCAT MOON PIES

Steps:

• Prepare the graham cracker cookies: whisk together whole wheat and all-purpose flours, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl until well combined. Whisk together honey, oil, eggs, and milk in a medium bowl until well combined. Add egg mixture to flour mixture, and gently stir together until a coarse dough begins to develop.
• Pour dough out onto a work surface lightly dusted with all-purpose flour and knead until dough becomes smooth, shiny, and slightly tacky, about 2 minutes. Divide dough into 2 even balls and shape into disks. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Position racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Line 2 rimmed sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Working with one dough disk at a time on a surface lightly dusted with all-purpose flour, roll each disk into a 16x12-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick. Cut twelve 3 1/2-inch circles out of each dough rectangle. Transfer circles to the prepared sheet pans spaced 1 inch apart from each other.
• Bake cookies in the preheated oven until fragrant and slightly firm, 12 to 14 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheet pans for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare the marshmallow: Combine gelatin and 1/2 cup water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Allow gelatin to bloom, undisturbed, until thickened, about 15 minutes.
• While the gelatin is blooming, combine remaining 1/2 cup water with sugar, corn syrup, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, without stirring, over medium heat. Boil sugar mixture, without stirring, until a candy thermometer reads 240 degrees F (116 degrees C), about 10 minutes.
• Add vanilla to bloomed gelatin; beat on medium speed until completely incorporated, about 1 minute. Leave mixer on medium and carefully add hot sugar mixture until combined, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to high and beat until mixture is thick, sticky, and quadrupled in volume, about 10 minutes. Immediately transfer 1/2 of marshmallow mixture to a piping bag; reserve remaining marshmallow for another use.
• Arrange 12 cooled cookies upside down on a clean work surface. Cut a tip off the piping bag, leaving a 1/2-inch hole, and quickly and carefully pipe a 2 tablespoon circular mound of marshmallow in the center of each cookie. Top with remaining cookies and gently press down until marshmallow is spread about 1/4 inch from the edges. Allow cookie sandwiches to sit out at room temperature, uncovered, until marshmallow filling is set and slightly firm, at least 1 hour or up to (but not exceeding) 4 hours.
• Prepare the glaze: fill a medium pot with 1 inch water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low. Place 28 ounces chocolate in a large heat-proof bowl and place on top of the pot with steaming water. Stir chocolate slowly until completely melted and smooth, about 5 minutes. Continue stirring until a thermometer registers 115 degrees F (46 degrees C), about 5 minutes. Remove bowl from the pot and set on a lightly damp kitchen towel to prevent the bowl from sliding. Allow chocolate to cool, stirring constantly, until a thermometer registers 90 degrees F (32 degrees C), about 5 minutes.
• Add remaining chocolate to the melted chocolate. Stir until completely melted and smooth, placing it back over steaming water briefly, if necessary, about 5 minutes.
• Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
• Working quickly, cleanly, and with one at a time, dip each cookie sandwich into the melted chocolate until completely coated, allowing excess chocolate to drain back into the bowl. Scrape the bottom of each along rim of bowl to remove any excess glaze. Place on the prepared sheet pan and smooth the top with a small offset spatula. Repeat to coat remaining cookies. Transfer to the refrigerator to cool until chocolate is set and firm, about 10 minutes. Allow cookies to rest at room temperature, covered with plastic wrap, until completely set, about 30 minutes.