Peach Turnover: Recipe Makeover

Photo: Randy Mayor

A Peachier Turnover

Buttery, flaky pockets of deep-fried fruit are a guaranteed success at any picnic. No utensils needed for these peach-packed, lard-laden mini pies (charmingly known as "hand pies" in the South)—just a hearty napkin to wipe the grease and gooey filling off your cheeks. With nearly 730 calories and 19 grams of saturated fat each, we just had to rescue these treats. We'll show you how we did it.

Classic
• 730 calories per pie
• 45 grams total fat
• 19 grams saturated fat

Makeover
• 312 calories per pie
• 9.4 grams total fat
• 5.7 grams saturated fat

View Recipe: Peach "Fried" Pie

Photo: Randy Mayor

Light-Crust Secret #1: Less Butter

We decrease the fat in the dough by nearly half, saving 202 calories and 12 grams of sat fat per pie.

Light-Crust Secrets: Oven-Baked Goodness

Photo: Randy Mayor

Light-Crust Secret #2: Oven-Baked Goodness

No need to deep-fry. Oven-bake on a preheated baking sheet to save 107 calories and 2 grams of sat fat per pie.

Photo: Randy Mayor

Light-Crust Secret #3: Disappearing Vodka

This little trick adds moisture to the dough without the need for added fat. The alcohol bakes off in the oven.

Photo: Randy Mayor

Step 1

Lighter homemade dough requires care in each step. The results are well worth it.

Make the most of a smaller amount of fat. Butter goes a longer way when frozen and pulsed into the flour, creating pockets of butter throughout.

Photo: Randy Mayor

Step 2

Pulse in vodka, which moistens the dough and limits gluten formation to keep the crust tender. Be careful not to overmix.

Photo: Randy Mayor

Step 3

Roll the dough into thin, 5-inch circles for perfectly portioned treats. Refrigerate for 2 hours to make pie assembly easier.

Photo: Randy Mayor

Step 4

Vent the filled pies to allow steam to escape during baking, preventing that fiber-rich filling from overflowing.

View Recipe: Peach "Fried" Pie