Gluten Free Pastry Recipe: Apple or Desired Filling

Ingredients:

For the Apple Filling:
• 2 extra-large or 4 regular apples
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
For the Pastry:
• 2/3 cup sweet rice flour
• 1/3 cup tapioca flour
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
• 3 extra-large eggs (or 4 large), at room temperature (important)
• 1/8 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (or dairy-free buttery spread) (Earth Balance)
• 1 cup water
• Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Instructions:

1. Peel, core and slice apples into pieces about 1" wide and 1/4" thick.
2. Add apples to a sauce pan and add water; cover and cook until almost tender. If there is too much water turn heat to high and allow some of it to evaporate. Make sure you leave some so that it will create a sauce with the other ingredients.
3. Towards the end of cooking add sugar and cinnamon; stir until sugar is dissolved. Cook until completely tender; then add tapioca flour and stir. If it is still too thin note that it will thicken more when cooled, but you can always let more evaporate by placing the heat on high again.
4. Set aside.
5. Preheat oven to 400°F.
6. In a small bowl add flours, sugar and salt; whisk.
7. In a medium sauce pan add water (or milk) and butter and shortening; bring to boil.
8. Remove from heat and add flour mixture and stir quickly until the dough no longer sticks to the sides of the pan or to the spoon.
9. Add dough to mixing bowl and allow dough to cool for about 2 minutes.
10. Add eggs one at a time and beat each on low speed (no. 2 on a KitchenAid mixer) for about 2 minutes for each egg or until well blended and smooth. Scrape sides and bottom to ensure all is mixed well. Stop mixer when you do this.
11. Drop mounds (6-12, depending upon size - I made 6) of dough onto a non-stick cookie sheet or use a pastry bag to make them fancier, leaving room between each one for expansion. You may smooth out the peaks and shape the dough with wet fingers.
12. Bake at 400°F for 10 minutes; lower heat to 375°F; bake until they are nice and brown. Total baking time is about 45 minutes, though ovens vary. If you make smaller ones lessen baking times, a bit. If browning does not occur spray the bottom of the oven with a bottle of filtered water.
13. Remove pastries from oven; and immediately place on a cooling rack until completely cooled. Do not cover the pastries. This will cause them to become soggy. You may leave them out overnight and they will still be very fresh.
14. Slice off the top third (half, if necessary - depending upon its shape); remove the gooey dough from the tops and bottoms; and fill with apple filling. Do not fill until ready to serve; and add tops back on.
15. Top with powdered sugar, if desired.
16. Add a couple of slices of cooked apple, if using, to one of the creases on the top.

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