Fried Chocolate Pudding Hand Pies

By gina62_cooks

Ingredients

• 2 cups half-and-half
• 8 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 tbsp shortening, room temp
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 large egg white, beaten
• 5 tbsp ice water
• 3 cups vegetable oil, for frying
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Preparation

Step 1

In a heavy, medium saucepan, combine the half-and-half, chocolate, sugar and cornstarch. Bring just to a boil over medium heat and cook, whisking, til thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter. Let cool slightly, then press plastic wrap onto the surface to cover. Refrigerate til cold, at least 2 hours or overnight.
In a large bowl, toss together flour, baking powder and salt. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, mix in the shortening til coarse crumbs form.
In a small bowl, beat together the whole egg and ice water. Stir into the flour mixture with a fork til dough comes together. Divide into 6 balls.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough ball into a 6-inch wide disk. Brush a 1/2-inch border of the beaten egg white around each rim. Spoon 1/3 cup of chilled pudding into the center of each disk, spreading sightly. Fold the dough over the filling, press the edges to seal then crimp with a fork. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and refrigerate til ready to fry.
In a deep skillet or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium high heat til it registers 350 on a thermometer. Add 2 pies at a time and fry, turning 2 or 3 times, til deep golden brown, about 3 minutes. Let cool for 15 minutes, then dust with confectioners' sugar.