Apple and Date Turnover

I want you to come to my kitchen just so I may serve you a steaming hot cuppa and a generous slice of this simply outstanding apple and date turnover. Our mouths will be so full with the sweet, cinnamon-y, apple-y, hint of date flavors that there will not be room for words nor will we want anyone to break into our reverie as we enjoy and savor. 

Apple and Date Turnover

(BBCGoodFood.Com)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour,  plus extra for dusting

375 gram package all-butter puff pastry **
½ tsp cinnamon
2 eating apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
2 pitted dates, finely chopped
25 gram (6 1/2 teaspoons) sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Pinch of salt
1 egg, beaten, for brushing
 
If you are using frozen puff pastry, allow time for thawing before proceeding and follow the directions on the back of the box for rolling it out. 
 
Preheat oven to 400*Fahrenheit.  Place a baking sheet in the oven.
 
Lightly flour a work surface and roll the puff pastry into an 8" x 12" rectangle. 
 
In a medium sized bowl, mix the apples and dates, 1 tablespoon flour, sugar, cinnamon, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.  Spoon over one half of the pastry, leaving a border around the edge.
 
Brush the edges of the pastry with a little of the egg.  Fold the other half of the pastry over the filling, pressing the edges of the pastry together, sealing well.  Slash the top with a knife and brush with the remaining egg.
 
Place the turnover in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm up the pastry and then carefully lift and place onto the hot baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Drizzle with icing if you wish.
 
**My Notes
Because the puff pastry has to go into the freezer before baking, I used a sheet of parchment paper, floured, as my work surface. By doing so, I was able to move it from the counter, to freezer, to baking sheet.
 
This recipe is pretty forgiving.  The puff pastry I used came in a 495 gram box (so my rolled out pastry was larger than 8 x 12; I didn't measure it, but the length equaled the length of my cookie sheet) so I increased the filling amounts.  I used 5 apples (using a mixture of 3 Granny Smith and 2 MacIntosh; my apples were smallish), and increased the number of dates to 8.  I also increased the flour to 2 tablespoons, and the cinnamon to 1 rounded teaspoon.  After sealing the edges, I trimmed them with a knife to neaten it up. 
 
I used a simple confectionery sugar glaze:
Mix together:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
 
Gradually add
1 tablespoon milk, a teaspoon at a time
Continually stirring until desired consistency is achieved.

 
 

Apple Turnovers

Ever have a fear that was seemingly so overwhelming that you thought you'd never be able to face it down and when you finally do, you have to wonder what all the confounded flap was about?  That was me and frozen puff pastry.  For years I was afraid of trying it. They said that puff pastry was difficult to work with.  Now, I don't recall exactly who they are but they are grossly overstating puff pastry finickiness.  This was no more difficult than working with frozen pie crust.  Easy peasy lemon squeezy.  I'm going to go out and buy a carton of this stuff. 

Vrinda, my friend on Sankeerthanam, made these the other day and after seeing how golden and flaky they were, I could not resist.  I love turnovers and up until now have only made them at home using pie crust.  After this, it's puff pastry every time!

This is an Ina Garten recipe, and is very very good.  Personally, the next time I make these I'm going to omit the dried cherries (although they do add a nice burst of flavor and color; it's just I'm more of a purist) and add a nice drizzle of glaze.

These work up quickly, if you remember to take the puff pastry out to defrost ~ memo to self ~ before you need it.

Apple Turnovers

(Ina Garten of the Food Network)

1 package (17.3 ounces, 2 sheets) frozen puff pastry, defrosted.  Preheat oven to 400*F. 

1 teaspoon grated orange zest
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/4 pounds tart apples, such as Empire or Granny Smith ( about 3 smallish apples)
3 tablespoons dried cherries
3 tablespoons sugar, plus extra to sprinkle on top
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour **
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon **
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg **
Pinch kosher salt


1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Follow the directions on the back of the box to defrost the puff pastry, planning on a good 40 to 60 minutes for the pastry to defrost.

Wash and dry the outside of the orange and then zest the orange part of the peel into a medium bowl.  Add the orange juice and then add the dried cherries to rehydrate them.

Peel and core the apples and then cut them in 3/4-inch dice. Immediately toss the apples with the zest and juice to prevent them from turning brown. Add the sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.

Flour a board and lightly roll each sheet of puff pastry to a 12 by 12-inch square. Cut each sheet into 4 smaller squares and keep chilled until ready to use

Brush the edges of each square with the egg wash and neatly place about 1/3 cup of the apple mixture on half of the square.

Fold the pastry diagonally over the apple mixture  to make a tricorner and seal by pressing the edges with a fork. Trim any uneven edges with a sharp knife. 

Transfer to a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.

Brush the top with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, make 2 small slits to allow steam to escape.

Bake for 20 minutes, until browned and puffed. Serve warm or at room temperature.

**My apples looked a little juicy and upped the flour to 2 tablespoons.  Worked perfectly.
**C'mon 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon?  I added 1/2 teaspoon!
**I use freshly grated nutmeg, which tends to be stronger and more vibrant in flavor than the the pre-grated spice, but even eyeballing it, I probably had a good 1/4 teaspoon.  Go easy on this one though this is a spice that can easily become overpowering. 

Now to make puff pastry from scratch.  Someday....right now that's a bugaboo...