Delicious Pie Fillings for Your Hand Pies, Cakes, and More!

I love using a variety of fruit fillings to enhance my hand pies, cakes, and other desserts. Here are some of my favorite recipes for strawberry, blueberry, pineapple, and lemon curd fillings. Each recipe is designed to bring out the best flavors of the fruit and create delightful treats for any occasion.

Strawberry Filling

Ingredients:

• 2 pints of strawberries (stemmed, hulled, and sliced)
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• Juice of one lemon
• Zest of 1/2 lemon

Instructions:

1. Prepare the strawberries and place them in a large bowl.
2. Combine the strawberries with the remaining ingredients.
3. Allow the fruit to macerate for about 20 minutes. Maceration combines fresh fruit with sugar, drawing out the juices to create a sweet syrup. This step ensures no additional water is needed, allowing the mixture to develop its own flavors.
4. Once the juices begin to puddle in the bottom of the bowl, transfer the mixture to a 2-quart saucepan.
5. Cook over medium to medium-high heat, bringing the mixture to a simmer.
6. Reduce the heat to maintain a rolling simmer, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching.
7. Continue simmering until the mixture thickens, about 20 minutes.
8. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
9. Use immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

Blueberry Filling

Ingredients:

• 2 pints of fresh blueberries (rinsed and dried)
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• Juice of one lemon
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 1 cinnamon stick (optional)

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients in a 2-quart saucepan over medium to medium-high heat.
2. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to maintain a rolling simmer.
3. Stir the mixture periodically to prevent scorching.
4. Continue simmering until the mixture thickens and the blueberries begin to break down, about 20 minutes.
5. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
6. Use immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

Pineapple Filling

Ingredients:

• 1 pineapple (peeled, cored, and cubed into 1/2 inch pieces)
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup Grand Marnier
• 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste

Instructions:

1. Prepare the pineapple by peeling, coring, and cubing it into 1/2 inch pieces.
2. Combine the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, Grand Marnier, and vanilla bean paste in a 2-quart saucepan or saucier.
3. Place the saucepan over medium to medium-high heat and bring the sugar mixture to a simmer.
4. Add the cubed pineapple to the simmering sugar mixture.
5. Cook until the pineapple is tender and the mixture has reduced by half, stirring occasionally. This will allow the pineapple to render its juices into the sugar mixture, creating a delicious syrupy preserve.
6. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
7. Use immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.

Notes: A saucepot usually has high straight sides, whereas a saucier is shorter and flared. This shape difference allows for quicker evaporation of liquids when creating sauces, hence the name saucier. Using a saucier is ideal for this recipe because its shape facilitates even stirring and reduction.

Lemon Curd

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup flour
• 4 eggs
• 4 tablespoons butter
• Juice of four lemons
• Zest of one lemon

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, combine the sugar and flour. This will help prevent the flour from clumping when the eggs and lemon juice are added.
2. Crack the eggs into a separate bowl to catch any shells that might fall in. I always crack my eggs on a flat surface, not the edge of the bowl. The edge of the bowl pushes the shell into the egg, whereas a flat surface allows you to control the cracking more effectively.
3. In a medium saucepan, whisk together the combined sugar and flour with the eggs and lemon juice until smooth.
4. Add the lemon zest to the mixture.
5. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture thickens and reaches 170°F (about 10-15 minutes). Do not let it boil.
6. Once thickened, remove from heat and strain the curd through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any lumps.
7. Add the butter to the strained curd and whisk until fully melted and incorporated.
8. Let the curd cool to room temperature, then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate. Always store lemon curd with a piece of plastic wrap pressed to the surface of the curd inside the airtight container.
9. Use immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

These fillings are perfect for hand pies, cakes, and other desserts. The vibrant flavors and textures they add will surely impress anyone who tries them. I even like to get creative with these and make little cakes in a jar. Enjoy your baking and let these fillings bring an extra touch of sweetness to your creations!