I have always loved apple turnover, or cherry turnovers, or blueberry turnovers or any turnover for that matter.  I have been wanting to make some for the family but hadn’t quite found the perfect recipe. After doing some research in cookbooks and the internet,  I combined several versions and came up with this version that we all loved. Hope you enjoy them as much as we did.

RUSTIC APPLE TURNOVERS (adapted from recipes from King Arthur Flour and Family Fun Magazine and one other place that I can’t remember)

Ingredients for Turnover Crusts:

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup cold butter
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Ingredients for filling:

• 3 cups (about 3 good-size) baking apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

For egg wash: (make two separate washes)

• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons water

To make the crust:

Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder.  Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture, much as you do for pie crust.  Stir in the sour cream. The dough should pull together; it won’t be smooth but it will pull together. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface, and bring it together with a few quick kneads. Roll the dough out to an 8″ x 10″ rectangle.  Dust both sides of the dough with flour. Fold the dough into thirds, similar to folding a letter. Turn the dough 90 degrees and roll it into a rectangle again. Fold again using letter technique.  Roll the dough into a rectangle again. Fold it in thirds, wrap in plastic, and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour (or overnight) before using.

To make the filling:

Combine the apples, orange juice, sugars, and butter in a medium-size saucepan. Cook over medium heat until mixture starts to boil; cover pan and boil for 3-4 minutes. NOT A ROLLING BOIL, more like a simmer.

Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Add to the apples and cook  for another minute at a low boil, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from the heat. Cool completely (about 30 minutes).

To assemble the turnovers:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Roll the chilled dough into a square about sixteen inches. Cut sixteen 4″ squares. For a tighter seal, you can brush two adjoining edges of each square with one egg beaten with one tablespoon cold water. (I did this and they still leaked.)

Place about two teaspoons of filling slightly off-center in each square.  Fold the turnovers in half diagonally, to creating a triangle. Press the edges with a fork to seal. Beat one egg with one tablespoon water.

Place the turnovers on a baking sheet, lined with parchment to catch any spills. Bake in the preheated 400°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until they’re a deep, golden brown; you may see some of the filling beginning to ooze out. Remove the turnovers from the oven, and cool on a rack.

My notes:

• My turnovers oozed filling all over the place, make sure to line your baking sheet with parchment paper. You will have a horrible clean up job if you don’t.
• I made my turnovers bigger than the recipe and got about 12 from this recipe.
• The coarse sugar I used was Wilton’s White Sparkling Sugar. I am sure you could use granulated sugar if you don’t have the Sparkling Sugar. However, the coarse sugar added to that rustic look.
• These turnovers turned out very flaky and I believe that is due both to the fold into thirds technique used on the dough and the butter in the dough. The folding technique is very similar to the technique used to make croissants which turn out very flaky if done right.
• My only attempt to try to make croissants was on a hot humid July day in Chicago and mine certainly didn’t turn out flaky but I have learned from my mistakes. Make sure to chill the dough. It helps a lot!
• I used Idared apples for this recipe. Jonathans or Northern Spy would also work well.