Flaky Apple Turnovers

These gorgeous sugar crystal-encrusted, flaky turnovers are made from scratch using a simplified quick puff pastry technique. We're talking about seriously good here -- crisp on the outside, flaky, moist, buttery pastry, just firm enough, not too sweet, with just a little tang from added sour cream, apples that have been cooked and caramelized before filling the pastry, and just the right ratio of pastry to apples. Simply the absolute best turnovers I have ever made. The pastry for these turnovers is actually quite easy to make. However, even though simplified, the making of pastry and turnovers is still a little time-consuming. But most of the time is spent just waiting, and the actual work/prep steps are minimal and pretty straightforward. Still, you may wish to make the dough one day, and the turnovers the next. This recipe also lends itself very well to just about any other fruit or fruit/cheese combination you can think of.

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Preparing Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Served Person: 16

spring brunch buttery winter apples breakfast brunch desserts snacks pastry puff pastry sour cream sugar ap flour cake flour salt cinnamon ginger allspice lemon juice egg american unsalted butter vanilla bean sanding sugar advance bake saute mfvcgqrzhbvwuxq vegetarian white meat free tree nut free nut free contains gluten red meat free shellfish free contains dairy contains eggs pescatarian

Carbohydrate 83.87211453125 g
Cholesterol 71.49921875 mg
Fat 22.964953125 g
Fiber 2.50289226256311 g
Protein 6.07482921875 g
Saturated Fat 14.1547015625 g
Serving Size 1 1 Serving (189g)
Sodium 18.684765625 mg
Sugar 81.3692222686869 g
Trans Fat 1.76420315625 g
Calories 557 calories

desserts

Step-by-step

In a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and sugar; set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cake flour, and salt.
Add butter pieces and toss until coated with flour.
Cut butter in with pastry blender, two knives, or rub in with your fingertips until mixture forms an irregular coarse meal, with still visible pieces of butter.
Don't overworked dough.
Make a well in center of mixture and add sour cream.
Use a fork in a lifting and tossing motion to gently blend sour cream with flour mixture, mixing just until a rough, very soft and sticky dough is formed.
(If mixture doesn't come together or is at all dry, add a little more sour cream or cold water.)
Divide dough in half and turn out each half onto a piece of plastic wrap.
Using the plastic wrap, push and pat dough to form into rough rectangles.
Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 2 days.
Remove a rested piece of dough from refrigerator and place on a lightly floured work surface.
Sprinkle dough with as little flour as necessary to prevent sticking, and roll it out into a 9-by-18-inch rectangle about 1/2-inch thick (dimensions aren't that important--a rough rectangle shape is fine).
With one of the narrow edges facing you, do a sigle turn on the dough (a single turn creates 3 layers of dough).
Fold the bottom third of the dough up over the middle third, then fold the top third down over the these two layers (so all 3 layers are stacked on top of each other).
Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate.
Repeat process with second piece of dough.
Refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours, or up to 2 day, or freeze for up to 1 month.
In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and salt.
Add apples, vanilla seeds and lemon juice, and toss to coat.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat until it turns a light nutty color, about 6 to 8 minutes.
Add apple mixture and saute until apples are slightly softened and caramelize, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Transfer cooked apples to a baking sheet and let cool completely before forming turnovers.
Cooled filling can be stored in refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Remove a piece of dough from refrigerator and place on a lightly floured work surface.
Roll out dough to a thickness of about 1/8- to 3/16-inch.
Cut out 4 1/2-inch rounds with a large cutter.
Repeat with second piece of dough.
Gather up all of the scraps, press scaps together, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes, then reroll and cut out additional rounds, if desired.
(I find that turnovers made from the scraps are still flaky and taste just as good!)
Place 1 to 2 tablespoons of apples in center of each round.
Using a pastry brush, apply a thin coat of water to lower half of each round.
Fold top half of dough down over filling and gently press edges together.
Seal edges by crimping with tines of fork.
Use fork to poke steam vents into each turnover.
(At this point, turnovers can be frozen, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap when firm, and stored in freezer for up to 1 month.)
Using wide metal spatula, carefully transfer turnovers to prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart.
Chill filled turnovers for 30 minutes, or cover with plastic and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
Adjust oven racks to upper and lower third positions and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Using a pastry brush, apply a thin coat of egg wash to tops of turnovers and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Rotate baking sheets from top to bottom and front and back, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until puffed, firm to the touch, and golden brown.
Using a wide metal spatula, transfer turnovers to wire rack to cool.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
Store in an airtight container for up to 24 hours.

Turnovers evolved from medieval meat and fruit pies that were designed to be eaten by hand without plates or utensils, originating as portable meals for travelers across Europe. Over centuries, European bakers refined these enclosed pastries by replacing heavy yeast doughs with laminated crusts, creating distinct layers of fat and flour that expand when exposed to heat. The foundational geometry of the turnover relies on sealing an upper and lower sheet of dough to trap steam, which forces the gluten strands upward while melting fats fry the surrounding starch. Achieving the signature shatter of a quick puff pastry requires keeping the butter cold enough to remain in discrete, solid pieces prior to baking. When bits of chilled butter measuring roughly a half-inch hit a 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven, the water inside the fat vaporizes and creates pockets of steam that push the pastry layers apart. Overworking the dough or letting ambient kitchen warmth soften the butter destroys these barriers, resulting in a dense, greasy crust instead of a light, elevated crumb structure. Cooking the diced apples in browned butter before assembly removes excess moisture that would otherwise compromise the structural integrity of the interior crust. Standard raw fruit releases significant liquid during baking, which gelatinizes starches prematurely and prevents the bottom layer of pastry from baking through. Sauteing the apples for 10 to 12 minutes caramelizes the natural sugars and evaporates free water, concentrating the flavor profile while protecting the pastry from sogginess. Sanding sugar sprinkled across the egg-washed exterior provides a contrasting abrasive crunch that balances the tender interior fruit and rich lipids of the butter. Coarse baker crystals withstand high heat without dissolving completely into the surface, maintaining a sparkling texture even after 20 minutes in the oven. Proper cooling on a wire rack prevents condensation from forming underneath the base, preserving the crisp outer shell until the moment of consumption.

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Flaky Apple Turnovers

Ingredients

Nutrition facts

Step-by-step