Sweet Potato and Peach Empanadas

[h00kemh0rns]

You can obviously cut the recipe but I use this for large gatherings. They will disappear or be taken home.

Makes about 115 (3-inch) pastries.

Pastry:
27 ounces solid shortening
1 (12-ounce) can of beer
½ cup + 1 tsp powdered sugar
7 cups all-purpose flour, or more as needed
Melted salted butter
Powdered sugar in shaker can


Filling:
4 large sweet potatoes, about 3-3/4 pounds total, unpeeled
1 (18-ounce) jar peach preserves

To make the filling, microwave the unpeeled sweet potatoes for 12 minutes, or until very soft. Set aside just until they are cool enough to handle. Peel off the skins using your fingers and place the sweet potatoes in a bowl. Mash the potatoes until smooth, then quickly stir in the peach preserves, blending well.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

To make the pastry. Using electric mixer, beat the shortening at medium speed until soft and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the beer. Begin beating at the lowest speed, then increase speed to medium as the beer is incorporated. Beat to blend well. Add the powdered sugar and 2 cups of the flour; beat well. Continue to add flour, scraping down the side of the bowl after each addition, until the dough is cohesive and not sticky. Separate the dough into balls about 1-1/2-inches in diameter. Roll out each ball into a 5-inch circle, then cut out rounds using a 3-inch cutter. Place about 1-1/2 teaspoons of the filling in the center of each round and fold the dough over the filling, creating a half-moon shape. Using the tines of a fork, press along the edge of the pastry to seal it. Turn the pastry over and repeat with the edge on the opposite side. Brush the tops of the pastries with melted butter. Place the completed pastries on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on wire racks and dust the pastries heavily with powdered sugar. Eat at room temperature.