Ok, now I’m on to another recipe in my puff pastry series, Homemade Turnovers… YUM! This recipe was an afterthought. I had some leftover dough that I needed to use or throw away. These turnovers are what I decided to make.
While the puff pastry was chilling in the fridge, I came up with some filling ideas for these Homemade Turnovers. With a little ingenuity, this is the final result.
Homemade Turnovers
Ingredients: Makes 9 turnovers
- Filling: jam of your choice, or chocolate – chopped or chips, or diced apples mixed with a bit of sugar and apricot jam
- Egg wash (1 egg beaten with 3 tablespoons water)
- 1 tablespoon coarse sugar
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- 2 to 4 tablespoons flour
Directions:
Defrost the puff pastry as directed. Preheat the oven to 400° F.
Sprinkle some flour on a clean surface. Unfold the chilled puff pastry and sprinkle a bit of flour over the top. Roll the pastry out to a 15 x 15-inch square. Cut the sheet of puff pastry into nine 5” squares. Brush the edges with the egg wash. Put one tablespoon of the desired filling in the center of each square. Fold the squares diagonally forming a triangle. Using the flat side of a dinner knife, press around the edges to seal. Curl the edge a bit and crimp with a fork for a complete seal.
Place the prepared turnovers on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the prepared turnovers with the egg wash and sprinkle the top with coarse sugar. Using a sharp knife cut a few small slits in the top of each pastry.
Chill the turnovers for 30 minutes before baking (or freeze until you’re ready to cook them). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove the turnovers from oven and allow them to cool for about 20 minutes. Serve immediately, or refrigerate them in a sealed container and then reheat them in 350° F oven for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Filling Suggestions: These suggestions are just a few to consider.
- Jam Filling: To thicken a runny jam, combine 1-tablespoon water and cornstarch until smooth. In a small saucepan, add 1 cup of jam mixed with the cornstarch mixture to a low boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the jams starts to thicken, about 2 to 3 minutes. Move from the heat and allow to cool. Reserve any leftovers for another use.
- Apple Filling: Mix 1 cup diced apples, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon apricot jam and blend.
- Chocolate: Any flavor of chocolate will do. Because it’s so universal, I prefer semi-sweet chocolate.
- Fresh or Frozen Fruit Filling: If needed, cut 1 cup of fresh or frozen fruit into 1-inch pieces. In a medium bowl, combine 1-tablespoon sugar, ½ teaspoon cornstarch, a dash of salt and lemon zest and toss to coat.
- Small Meatballs: A few small meatballs and a bit of marinara sauce. (Omit coarse sugar on top.)
- Brie: A small piece of Brie cheese with a spot of jelly of your choice.
Notes: If you prefer, freeze the unbaked homemade turnovers and place them in a freezer bag until you’re ready to bake and serve them. All you need to do is preheat the oven and pop them in. They’re great to make ahead because of this. If you happen to roll your dough a bit too much, not to worry. Make some mini turnovers with the leftover dough and filling. When handling puff pastry, it is always a good idea to keep it as cold as possible, almost at the semi-frozen state. It makes handling and baking it so much easier. 
So, what do you think? Are you up to trying these Homemade Turnovers? Just think how cool it would be if you make them and had them in the freezer ready for breakfast or a fun dessert.
Time to eat…
If you enjoyed my “Homemade Turnovers,” check out my Mini Apple Rose Desserts, Crispy Chocolate Bars, or my Pretzel Pecan Candys Treats. Enjoy.
P.S. Take a moment to check out and purchase some of the tools I used for this “Homemade Turnovers” below. 🙂