FOODIE SPY fried winter warmth...

BAKED PEAR DUMPLINGS
recipe via BBC

Still knee deep in planning a Christmas dinner for two, I had to rustle through my tried and true sources and uncovered dipped, baked, and fried is where the heart is. These fruit-filled pastries are crips, chewy, and ooze spiced goodness. Do you also have a comfort food for the winter that makes everyone take a second look?

Ingredients
500g packet of shortcrust pastry
4 pears , all the same size, peeled but with stalks intact
4 cardamom pods , seeds only (about ¼ tsp seeds)
2 tbsp dark, brown muscovado sugar
8 prunes or dried apricots, finely chopped
milk , to glaze
golden caster sugar to glaze

1. Heat the oven to 350F. Divide the pastry into 4 and roll each piece into a circle about 20cm in diameter. Pull the stalk out of each pear and keep them aside. Core the pears using an apple corer or sharp knife - make sure you scoop out all the seeds.
2. Crush the cardamom seeds using a pestle and mortar and mix with the sugar and prunes or apricots. Put a pear upright on each pastry circle and fill the pears with the prune mixture. Brush the edges of the pastry with water and fold the pastry up around the pear, keeping the shape of the pear. Press to seal and trim off any excess. Brush with milk and sprinkle with caster sugar.
3. If you have the inclination, make some pastry leaves to stick them to the tops of the pears. Stick a reserved stalk back in each and bake on a buttered baking sheet for 30 minutes until the pastry is golden.

Note: You'll need ripe pears for this; if they seem a bit hard, peel and cook them in water, along with some sugar and a twist of orange peel, for 20 minutes first.

Fried Apple Pies

recipe by Gourmet

Makes 12 individual pies

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
3 tablespoons cold vegetable shortening (preferably trans-fat-free), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water
4 1/2 oz unsulfured dried apples (2 cups) 2 cups unfiltered apple cider 1 1/2 cups water 2 1/2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

About 2 quarts vegetable oil
Confectioners sugar for dusting
a deep-fat thermometer

Make pastry:

• Blend together flour, butter, shortening, baking powder, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) until mixture just resembles coarse meal. Whisk egg with 1/4 cup ice water, then drizzle evenly over flour mixture and gently stir with a fork until incorporated.
• Squeeze a small handful: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated.
• Gather dough and knead just until smooth, 3 or 4 times, on a lightly floured surface (do not overwork, or pastry will be tough). Form dough into 2 (5-inch) disks and chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.

Make filling:

• Briskly simmer all filling ingredients and a pinch of salt in a heavy medium saucepan, uncovered, stirring occasionally and mashing apples with a potato masher as they soften, until a thick purée forms, about 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Make pies:

• Divide 1 disk of dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll out 1 piece on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 6-inch round, then put 2 heaping tablespoons of filling in center. Lightly moisten edge with water and fold dough over to form a half-circle, pressing out air around filling, then pressing edge to seal. Transfer to a large sheet of parchment paper and press floured tines of a fork around edge. Make more pies with remaining dough and filling (you may have some filling left over).

Fry pies:

• Set a cooling rack on a large baking sheet or tray. Heat 2 inches of oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat until it registers 360 to 370°F on thermometer. Fry pies, 3 or 4 at a time, turning occasionally, until deep golden-brown, 7 to 8 minutes per batch. Transfer to rack to drain. Return oil to 360 to 370°F between batches.
• Dust warm pies with confectioners sugar before serving.

Notes: Filling can be made 1 week ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using. Pastry dough can be chilled up to 2 days. Pies are best the day they're fried but keep, wrapped in foil once completely cooled, at room temperature 1 day.