DOTW- Apple Berry Turnovers

When I first started culinary school I was enamored with the school cafe. It was like going back to Paris with the lovely windows full of ooey, gooey, yummy morsels. My two favorites there were coconut macaroons (dipped in chocolate) and apple turnovers. I could not get enough of their goodness.

Now with culinary school behind me I am slightly jaded. I know understand the magic and can recreate it. It makes going out for food not nearly as exciting, but there is still a resounding thrill that goes through me every time I make something and think "that could have totally come from a bakery".

These turnovers did it for me. I felt immense pride in seeing the perfectly thin crackling layers, watching them puff in the oven with butter as their only leavener- it's what makes me happy.

Apple Berry Turnovers

Puff Pastry

I'm guessing that hardly anyone will follow me in making your own puff pastry, but I have to say, you should at least try to sometime. The big difference between it and store bought, is that you would use butter and the store bought uses, well, not butter. BIG DIFFERENCE! But this dessert can either take an afternoon or 10 minutes- it all depends on if you make the puff pastry or not. So if you need a quick dessert this could actually be a great option.

Ingredients:

2 c AP flour
1/2 t salt
1 T cold butter
1/2 c ice water

1/2 lb (2 sticks) butter, cold
1 T flour

In a mixer with the dough hook mix 1 c flour, salt and water. Add the butter and let mix until a smooth batter forms. Add the rest of the flour slowely and let mix until the dough pulls together, 3-4 minutes.

Knead dough until it comes together well and freeze wrapped for 20 minutes.

Put the 1/2 lb of butter between sheets of wax paper and bang on it with a rolling pin. The idea is to get it to be a square about 3/4 inch thick(about 3 inches wide). Use the flour to stop it from being sticky on the outside. Don't let it get above 60 degrees, if it does refrigerate.

Pull out dough and roll it into a 6 inch square on a floured surface.
Put the butter square on a diagonal in the middle and fold the dough around it, seal the edges.
Turn One:
Turn the dough over and roll out to about 18x6 inches. If the butter starts to ooze at all refrigerate. Turn the dough over and fold like a letter in thirds. Freeze for 10 minutes.

Do this "turn" 5 more times. The purpose of this is to get butter into hundreds of layers. It technically should end up with
1x3x3x3x3x3x3=729 layers!
So even though it seems like a lot of work you get a lot out of it.

if you look really close you can see some of the layers

Freeze for 1 hour and make filling.

If using storebought dough you need to pull it out of the freezer and let it thaw according to the package directions.

Filling

Ingredients:
2 green apples, peeled, cored and sliced thin
1 c frozen berries
1/2 c sugar
1 t salt
1 T butter
1 pinch nutmeg

Put butter in a pan and cook apples until softened. If you undercook them they will oxidate and turn brown. Add sugar during cooking. Once they are cooked turn off heat and add berries as well as salt and nutmeg. Allow to warm.

To bring it all together:

Roll out dough into a 9x18 square, storebought should be about this size
Cut in half lengthwise, and in quarters width wise to make 8 squares
Use an egg wash on the inside of each square and fill the center of the squares, not too full though, you want to be able to close the pastrys.
Gently pull one corner to meet the other and seal the edge. To further seal the ends use a fork.
Egg wash the outsides and sprinkle with sugar (coarse or turbinado works really well), pierce the tops with a fork
Refrigerate for half an hour.
Bake at 375 degrees until the outsides are golden brown about 30 minutes.
Serve warm. If you have extra filling, rewarm and serve over turnovers, maybe with some ice cream.


Note: How Puff Pastry gets its puff: When the chilled butter begins to melt in the oven it starts to leave hundreds of little holes that then fill with steam and rise causing the dough to become flakey and puffy. How the french figured these things out, I'll never know.