Pear Lime Mini Pies

I made pies!

Baby pies!

I actually made these pies a long time ago, but I avoided posting them because they require specialized equipment. I generally try to share recipes that are pretty easy to put together both in terms of steps and required tools.

But these are so cute that I just couldn’t help myself any longer.

This is the Breville Pie Maker! I don’t normally buy particularly specialized gadgets like this (I don’t even own a waffle maker, which I’m starting to realize is a silly mistake..) due to the lack of space in my tiny kitchen. I say “no” to about a million things I want every time I enter any kitchen supply store, for fear that I will drown both me and my husband in my baking obsession.

This gadget was no different. But that’s because I didn’t actually buy it myself.

My kind and generous co-workers from my old team bought it for me as a thank you for bringing in baked goods every week!

I was pretty nervous to use it. I like to think I’m a pretty good baker, but I’m at most an average cook. All that direct heat frightens me and causes me to… burn things. I can make perfectly gooey, rich, slightly underdone in that fabulous way brownies, but ask me to saute some garlic and I will give you weird, dark brown nuggets of burny garlic goodness.

That’s probably the bigger reason I don’t own a waffle iron. I’m afraid of burning things. The pie marker is more akin to a searing hot cast iron skillet than a warm, cozy oven. So with my fear of the pie maker fully in place, I wasn’t about to mess around. I went straight for the recipe book that came with the pie maker.

There were more traditional berry pie recipes listed within, but one recipe was a little more unique.

I had never even heard of a pear lime pie before. It also perked Trevor’s interest with his love for citrus and things of the more tangy variety. It sounded light and refreshing, which was a good thing when I was to have 8 pies on my hands when things were all said and done, and two mouths to consume them including my own.

There’s something you can learn from my mistakes when it comes to pear lime pie. When you go to buy canned pears, if you’re an experienced baker/cook, something in you is going to tell you to buy the pears that come in juice instead of syrup. The syrup is cloying, your baker instincts will say. Pears in juice feel fresher and then you can control the sugar level yourself.

It will hurt to do so, but ignore that instinct.

The amount of lime juice in this pie (which is GREAT for the strong lime flavour it lends) needs that strong sugary syrup. I had to put in ridiculous amounts of sugar just to make it so that my mouth didn’t pucker so hard that it tried to suck into itself. And even after all that sugar, I think the pies were still too tart for my liking. But I do believe that pears in syrup would have been a balance to all the lime juice.

So finally, after all that time, here are my little pies. If you don’t have a pie maker to share in the joy of these with me, I apologize for flaunting mine. Maybe you too can find some kind souls to shower baked goods upon, until one day they buy you a pie maker.

If there’s anything I miss about my old job, it’s the people.

My new team, if any of you are reading this, I love you guys too. But you didn’t buy me a tiny pie maker. :)

Recipe from the Breville Pie Maker

Ingredients

• 1 15 oz. can pears, drained, syrup reserved
• ½ cup reserved pear syrup
• ½ cup fresh lime juice
• 0-2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 4 teaspoons water
• Powdered sugar and cream for serving

Preparation:

1. Chop pears into small pieces. Combine in a saucepan with pear syrup and lime juice. Taste the juice and add sugar if desired. (Depending on the tartness of your limes, it may be perfect at this point, or need a touch more sugar.)
2. Blend cornstarch with water, add to pears and stir until mixture boils and
3. thickens. Allow to cool.
4. Preheat the pie maker until the ‘Ready’ light illuminates.
5. Prepare pastry bases and tops according to manufacturer’s directions. Use 1/3 cup of filling per pie.
6. Cook for 8-12 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.
7. Remove the pies with a plastic heatproof spatula and cool slightly.
8. Serve warm or cold, sprinkle with powdered sugar and a dollop of cream.

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