Can't Turn Down Apple Turnovers

It all started when I spotted these adorable lady apples at the grocery store. Though you can't really tell from the picture, each one is about the size of a golf ball. If I'd had a golf ball lying around, I would have provided a photo comparison, but you're just going to have to take my word for it. So while these little guys were sitting in a bowl being cute, I got inspired to make apple turnovers. Of course for this, I used regular-sized apples so I wouldn't expend all my peeling, slicing and dicing energies with little fruit in return.

The yummy cream cheese crust is courtesy of Country Living magazine, and with a food processor, could not be easier, and the spiced filling is an Ina Garten recipe. Cherries would make a perfect substition if that's your fruit of choice. My only complaint/suggestion: these don't store particularly well. They tend to get mushy, and you don't fully enjoy that buttery, golden crust, so go ahead and eat them up the day of. It shouldn't be a problem.


Apple Turnovers
Recipes courtesy of Ina Garten and Country Living

Cream-Cheese Dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoons salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter
4 ounces cream cheese
4 tablespoons ice water

Filling:
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/4 pounds tart apples, such as Empire or Granny Smith (3 apples)
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

Make the dough: In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse until well blended. Add butter and cream cheese to the processor and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. With processor running, slowly add water and mix just until dough comes together. Form dough into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill dough for 30 minutes.

For the filling, combine the orange zest and orange juice in a bowl. Peel, quarter, 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.

Form the turnovers: On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough and cut out 6-inch circles. Gather and rechill dough scraps and repeat until 15 dough circles are cut out. Evenly divide the filling among the dough circles. Dampen the edge of each dough circle and fold in half over the filling. Lightly press the edges with the tines of a fork to seal each half-moon-shaped turnover. Place turnovers on two parchment-lined baking sheets and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush the top of each turnover with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water) and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Use a sharp knife to cut 2 or 3 small slits on top of each turnover to create vents. Place turnovers on the middle rack of the oven and bake until crust is golden -- 20 to 25 minutes. Cool turnovers on a wire rack. Makes about 15.