How to make Apple Turnovers
Cornflour / cornstarch – Put the apples in a large saucepan and toss with the cornflour / cornstarch. Tip: large saucepan is better because the apple juices evaporate faster so you get a thicker caramel coating on the apples. Small saucepan = more watery sauce.
Mix – Add the sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt then mix to coat.
Cook for 5 minutes on medium (or medium high on weaker stoves) until the apples are softened but still holding their shape. The sauce should thicken into a syrup.
Cool – Spread the filling onto a plate and let it cool completely. Don’t use a bowl, it makes the apples sweat more and thins the sauce.
How to make Apple Turnovers
Making the apple turnovers
TIP: Use puff pastry when it is barely thawed. Much easier to handle! Overly soft puff pastry gets floppy and sticky, and is a total pain to handle. If your puff pastry softens too much, just stick it back in the freezer for a bit.
How to make Apple Turnovers
Cut the barely thawed puff pastry into 4 equal pieces (12.5cm / 5″ squares).
Egg – Brush two sides of the pastry with the whisked egg.
Filling – Place 2 tablespoons of filling on the egg brushed side. Avoid the apple sauce, it will make the base too soggy and if it leaks onto the edge where you brushed the egg, it will prevent it from sealing properly.
Fold the puff pastry over to cover the filling.
How to make Apple Turnovers
5. Seal the edges using a fork dipped in flour (prevents it from sticking to the puff pastry). By pressing down firmly and crimping the edge, it seals it well.
6. Refrigerate – As you complete each turnover, place them on a cutting board lined with paper. Then refrigerate for 20 minutes – this makes the turnovers puff up better. (PS Don’t chill the turnovers on a baking tray, it will compromise how well the base cooks because the cold tray takes time to heat up).
7. Egg wash and prick – Slide the sheet of paper with the turnovers on them onto a large baking tray. Brush with whisked egg (makes them nice and golden), then prick the surface 3 times with a small knife. Steam escape holes – reduces risk of the filling leaking out of the seams.
8. Bake for 25 minutes at 200°C/400°F (180°C fan-forced), or until the turnovers are golden. And they’re done! So now, eating options: plain, or cream filled!
Freshly baked Apple turnovers
How to serve plain apple turnovers (the easy option for impatient people 🙋🏻♀️)
If you are not making cream filled apple turnovers, they really are best served warm. I personally like to dust with icing sugar / powdered sugar to make them look pretty. And I really like to serve with cream for dunking! Warm apple turnovers with lightly sweetened whipped cream is a match made in heaven.
Dunking Apple turnovers in cream
Making cream filled apple turnovers
To make cream filled apple turnovers, once the turnovers are cool enough to handle, use a small knife to cut the seams. Open it up and set aside until the inside is fully cool – else the cream will melt.
When ready to assemble, whip the stabilised cream (read above for why I recommend that) or make regular whipped cream but beat until stiff so it’s pip-able. Then pipe it inside!
Cream filled Apple turnovers
So, there you go! I did not expect to write so much about the humble apple turnover. I actually decided to publish this recipe today thinking it’s a nice easy one.
Then of course, I go and make things more complicated by offering the recipe two different ways. Which sounds simple enough, then I get to the end of the post and am rather alarmed at how much I’ve written.
But – it’s a really simple recipe, I swear! 😂 Hope you give it a go. Let me know what you think if you do – and whether you dunk or fill with cream.
