Apple Pie Pockets & the Tastes of Childhood

The taste of foods from my childhood bring me zooming back to being a kid again, a time machine, if you will, to a place less burdened by adult responsibilities, chores, and bills. I like to go back to those foods and try to recreate them. If they were store-bought, I like to try creating homemade versions. It's one of my little adventures with food.

About a year ago, I had a craving for a yummy dessert-type treat. With apples sitting on my counter, I started thinking about those apple pie pockets I used to love as a child. There were two kinds: one was a half-moon shape (Hostess, I think) and the other had two squares and were covered in a yummy glaze (Drakes). The filling was "apple"...though the contents were so jellied and gooey, I am not sure how long ago it was an actual apple, if ever. Even so, they were delicious (and what did we know in the 80's anyway?). Figuring they were little apple pies, I went to work.

Basic ingredients you will need:

• Apples
• Butter
• Pie Crust
• Cinnamon
• Sugar
• Powdered sugar
• Milk
• Vanilla

First, the crust - make your own if you have time or in a pinch, you can always use store-bought. If I am making one, I normally do a quick search on a reliable recipe site like Epicurious and use what I find there. Dough for a 9" pie crust will make 4-6 pockets.

Roll out the dough to about 1/4" thickness. I cut mine into rectangles - about 3" wide by 8" long, but you could do larger or circles to make the half-moon.

Peel and dice your apples. Toss them in a large bowl with some cinnamon and sugar. I mix cinnamon sugar separately to taste and then just evenly coat the apples.

Cut up your butter into small pieces (easier to do right out of the fridge before it gets too soft).

Take a scoop of apples and place it on the bottom half of the dough. Add a couple of dots of butter on top of the apples.

To seal the pockets, dip your finger in water and run it around the outside edge of the dough. Gently, fold the top over the apples, stretching it just slightly if you need to, and press the edges where the dough meets with a fork. Make a few slashes across the top to vent the pocket while baking.

Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 25 minutes, until golden brown.

While the pockets are baking, mix together the powdered sugar (about 1/2 cup) with some milk (start with a small amount - about a tablespoon), a dash of cinnamon, and a small splash of vanilla (very technical measurements, I know). Mix together to a creamy, paste-like consistency. It shouldn't be too runny.

When the pockets are done, remove from the over and let cool for about 5 minutes. The drizzle the glaze over the pockets until coated.

Eat!!! Enjoy!!!