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1
Place the apricots in a small bowl with the bourbon and soak for about 1 hour, until the fruit is soft and most of the liquid is absorbed.
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2
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400F.
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3
Lightly grease 2 rimmed baking sheets.
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4
Wrap the sweet potatoes in foil and bake until soft, 45 to 55 minutes.
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5
Remove from the oven and discard the foil.
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6
Allow the potatoes to cool enough to handle before removing and discarding the skin.
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7
Reduce the oven to 375F.
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8
Place the potato flesh in a bowl with the apricots and bourbon, the sugar, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and salt and mash with a potato masher to the consistency of mashed potatoes.
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9
On a lightly floured surface, roll the Hand Pie Dough about 1/4 inch thick.
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10
Cut eight 4- to 5-inch rounds with a cookie cutter or small knife.
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11
Place about 2 tablespoons of the sweet potato filling on the right side of each round, leaving a 1/2-inch border.
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12
Combine the cream and egg in a small bowl and stir to mix.
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13
Brush the borders of the rounds with the egg wash and fold the left side of the dough over the filling so the edges meet and enclose the filling.
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14
Crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
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15
Cut small vents into the top of each hand pie with a paring knife.
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16
Arrange the pies on the prepared baking sheets, brush the tops with the remaining egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar.
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17
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through, until golden brown.
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18
Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before serving warm or completely cooled.
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19
Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl and stir to mix.
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20
Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or two knives in a crosscutting motion until the mixture resembles coarse meal.
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21
Work quickly so the butter remains cool and doesnt melt into the flour.
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22
Combine the egg yolk and the 3 tablespoons ice water and stir to mix.
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23
Add to the flour mixture and stir with a fork just until the dough clumps together and is just moist enough to pat together.
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24
Do not mix any more than necessary.
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25
If the dough is dry and crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough comes together; do not add so much water that the dough becomes wet or sticky.
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26
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and, with lightly floured hands, form into a ball.
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27
Divide the dough in half and form each piece into a flat disk.
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28
Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or for up to 3 days, before proceeding with the recipe.
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29
Give these pies an extra kick of spice by stirring 2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger into the sweet potato filling along with the other spices.
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30
You can also make these hand pies with different fillings, like baked pumpkin, butternut squash, apples, or peaches.
