Apple Pie Turnovers- spiced up (6 ppl)

I LOVE traditional, puff pastry made apple turnovers.  Actually, apple turnovers a la mode are my favorite. I love the way the warm turnover slightly melts the ice cream…yum!

Apple Pie Turnovers are my version of apple turnovers, but are made from pie dough (pate brisee) instead of puff pastry. For all those “pie crust” lovers, you’ll love this version of turnovers. This year I added a touch of cardamom to my apple mixture and WOW, the flavor was fantastic. There are so many ways to play around with turnovers….nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, cardamom, toasted pecans, raisins, dried blueberries…whatever you fancy.

And depending on the apples you choose to use, the amount of sugar you add can be drastically lessened. I also play around with the dough…if I need a dessert in a jiffy, the store-bought puff pastry dough comes out. And if I have time, I like making homemade pie dough and making these Apple Pie Turnovers.

Best of all, for the holidays try making mini turnovers….that way you can have several different desserts, without all the belly aches or completely ruined diets :).

INGREDIENTS

• 2 apples, peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes  (fuji, gala, honey crisp, granny…whatever you like)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (more or less depending on which apples you choose to use and how sour they are)
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoon all-purpose flour, and a little extra for rolling out dough
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 cup milk
• pinch of salt
• homemade pie dough (pate brisee) or 1 package store-bought puff pastry

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (400 degrees if you’re using puff pastry)
2. Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Place apples into the hot skillet. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Add brown sugar, salt, vanilla and spices.Cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Stir in white flour. Cook for another minute, or until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.

1. Unfold puff pastry sheets, and repair any cracks by pressing them back together. Trim each sheet into a square. Then cut each larger square into 4 smaller squares. Spoon apples onto the center of each squares. Fold over from corner to corner into a triangle shape, and press edges together to seal and then with fork press down on the edges of the pie to create crimped look . Place turnovers on a baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them.
2. Bake for 25 minutes in the 400 degree preheated oven, until turnovers are puffed and lightly browned.