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Puff Pastry Apple Turnovers

Baked and glazed apple turnovers on a sheet tray.
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These Puff Pastry Apple Turnovers use a briefly cooked filling to control moisture and concentrate flavor before baking. Simmering the apples with apple cider and warm spices softens them just enough, while a cornstarch slurry helps the filling set neatly inside the pastry. Whether made with homemade rough puff pastry or store bought puff pastry, chilling the shaped turnovers before baking encourages even puffing and crisp, flaky layers.

Ingredients

For Filling and Pastry:

  • 1½ pounds (3 to 4 large) baking apples, peeled, cored and diced into ½-inch pieces
  • ¼ cup (50 grams) packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • Big pinch coarse kosher salt
  • Pinch grated nutmeg
  • ⅓ cup (80 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (30 grams) fresh apple cider juice, divided
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon (10 grams) cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Rough Puff Pastry, prepared, or (1) 14-ounce package puff pastry (see notes for guidance)
  • All-purpose flour, for work surface

For Cider Glaze:

  • ½ cup (70 grams) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (30 grams) fresh apple cider juice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, stir together the apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ⅓ cup of the apple cider and lemon juice.
  2. Set the pot over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples have softened but still hold their shape and there is visible liquid in the pot, about 6 minutes. If the liquid cooks off too quickly, add a small splash of additional apple cider to prevent scorching.
  3. In a small bowl, create a slurry by whisking together the cornstarch and the remaining 2 tablespoons of apple cider.
  4. Pour the cornstarch slurry into the apples and stir together until melted and combined. Continue cooking until the apple mixture is thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. 
  5. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla. Let the apple mixture cool completely, preferably overnight. (If cooling overnight, transfer to the refrigerator.)
  6. When ready to shape, fill a small container with cool water and set aside.
  7. Line a 12x18-inch baking sheet with parchment paper.
  8. Roll out the puff pastry on a floured surface (remember, you are only using half of the batch if you've made this rough puff recipe) to about ⅛-inch thickness, or about a 10x15-inch rectangle. Cut out six 4.5-inch squares. (See note about using store-bought puff pastry)
  9. Use a pastry brush (or use your finger) to brush a small amount of water on two sides of each dough square. This helps it stick (if your dough is already super sticky, skip this step). Place about 2 heaping tablespoons of chilled apple filling in the center of each square.
  10. Fold one corner of the pastry over the filling to make a triangle. Press down on the edges to seal the pastry together. Use a fork to press and seal the edges further, adding a decorative touch.
  11. Using a sharp knife, cut off just the very edges of the pastry to give it a clean, straight edge. This helps ensure the puff pastry bakes up properly.
  12. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  13. Place the turnovers on the prepared baking sheet. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes or in the refrigerator for 1 hour to help them hold their shape during baking.
  14. Bake the chilled turnovers until evenly puffed and lightly golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before transferring to a wire rack.
  15. To make the glaze: in a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, apple cider, and cinnamon until smooth. Drizzle over the slightly cooled turnovers. Let the glaze set before serving, about 10 minutes.

Notes

This recipe yields 6 apple turnovers and was developed using half a batch of homemade rough puff pastry, which is roughly equivalent to one store-bought box of puff pastry. It was tested with both homemade and store-bought puff pastry with consistent results. Store-bought puff pastry is typically sold either as one folded 14-ounce sheet or as two folded 8-ounce sheets. The measurements and cutting instructions in this recipe align most closely with homemade rough puff, so the dimensions may vary slightly depending on the format and brand you use. If using puff pastry sold as one sheet, roll it out to about 8 by 12 inches and cut into 4 inch squares to yield 6 turnovers. If using puff pastry sold as two sheets, roll each sheet slightly thinner and cut each sheet into four squares for a total of 8 turnovers. When making smaller turnovers, use a little less filling to avoid leakage.

The apple filling must be completely cooled before filling the turnovers. Steaming hot filling in butter pastry always equals a disaster. So be sure to plan ahead. You likely will have some leftover filling. You can enjoy any leftovers over ice cream or yogurt. It also freezes well. Or you can make additional turnovers!

Making a glaze can sometimes be a bit of trial and error, unless you are using a scale to measure your ingredients. If your glaze is too thin, simply add in a tablespoon more powdered sugar at a time. If it’s too thick, add in more cider.

These apple turnovers can be made ahead and frozen for up to 3 months. Assemble the turnovers fully, then freeze them flat on a parchment lined baking sheet for 24 hours. Once frozen solid, transfer to a freezer safe bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding additional baking time as needed, until puffed and golden.

Find it online: https://everydaypie.com/apple-turnovers/