Summery Strawberry Mini Pies

I love ripe, red strawberries all year round, but there is something extra special about strawberries and summer! I was getting ready to have a cook out with our family, and I thought about making a strawberry pie like they used to serve at the famous restaurant with the statue of a chubby dark haired boy out front. I found a similar recipe to the one I loved at that restaurant and the pie disappeared quickly!!! It was so good that I decided to make mini pies for this Instructable. I hope you give this recipe a try. You can use a ready made crust or make your own for a regular size pie. I have my mini pie maker so I thought it would be fun to use that for my recipe. They turned out great and were such a treat! Follow along to see how you can easily make them this summer for your family and friends!!!

1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

3 tablespoons ice water

Cooking mat

mixing bowl

butter knife

rolling pin

plastic wrap

electric mini pie maker

Add the flour, salt and sugar to a mixing bowl. Stir to blend.

Cut the very cold butter into quarters lengthwise, then slice, forming small cubes.

Add the butter to the dry ingredients in the bowl. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour until it is about the size of small peas. Spoon in ice water. Mix the pastry ingredients with the butter knife.

Form the dough into a ball and knead for 30 seconds until smooth.

Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

When you are ready to roll out the pastry, remove it from the refrigerator. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes before rolling out with a rolling pin. Use the cutter that came with the pie maker to cut large pastry rounds from the pastry sheet. Re-roll the scraps as necessary to form 5 pastry rounds.

Spray the pie cavities with cooking spray, if desired. Gently ease and press 2 pastry rounds into the pie maker.

Plug in the pie maker to turn it on. Close and bake for 10 minutes or until the pie crusts are golden. Repeat with remaining crusts.

Here are the baked crusts. Set them aside to be filled later.

8 ounces fresh strawberries

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons water

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon dry strawberry gelatin

red food coloring

Red sugar sprinkles

saucepan

cutting board

spurtle or wooden spoon

spoon

sharp knife

To a saucepan, add water, sugar, and cornstarch. Stir to combine. Place over medium heat until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes until thickened.

Stir in dry strawberry gelatin. Add 5 drops of red food coloring, if desired. Set aside to cool, stirring occasionally.

Wash the strawberries and cut off the tops. Cut into bite-sized pieces.

Add the cut strawberries to the mini pie crusts.

Spoon strawberry gelatin mixture over strawberries. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, until set.

mixer with whip attachment

piping bag with tip

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whip the heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla with the electric mixer on medium-low speed just until foamy.

Turn the speed up to medium-high. Continue to whip until the cream forms stiff peaks.

Spoon the whipped cream into your piping bag, pushing the cream to the tip.

Pipe the whipped cream onto the strawberries in the mini pies.

Add a sprinkling of red sugar on top, if desired.

Here are the completed Summery Strawberry Mini Pies! You can easily double the recipe if you have more guests or if you just want to make more pies! They are a wonderful treat any time, all summer long!!!