Chaussons aux Pommes (Apple Turnovers)
I was flipping through one of my French pastry cookbooks and I spied a picture and recipe of apple turnovers. I was hooked. Still warm from the oven, the scent of apple, cinnamon, and pastry dough reaches your nose just as you take the first bite.
Apple turnovers are actually very easy to make. You can cheat – and get away with it. The key is to use a premium store-bought puff pastry dough. Puff pastry consists of many layers of dough and butter. When most people was store-bought puff pastry they reach for the Pepperidge Farms brand on the frozen food isle. Don’t do it. Instead of using butter, Pepperidge Farms uses shortening. Blech.
There is a brand named Dufour that actually uses sweet cream butter in their puff pastry. I was able to find it at my local Sprouts market, but if you call the nice folks at Dufour they’ll be happy to tell you where you can find it locally.
Then there is the filling which is basically the same as you would use in an apple pie. The only difference is that instead of cutting apple slices, I chop the apples into smaller chunks.
- 4 Granny Smith Apples
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 boxes Dufour puf pastry sheets
- 1 egg
- A little sugar
- Preheat the oven to 400F.
- Peel, core, and slice the apples.
- Cut each slice into about 4 chunks. As you cut up the apples, drop them into a bowl of water and the lemon juice.
- Put a saute pan on the stove over medium heat.
- Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in the pan.
- Drain the apple chunks.
- When the butter stops foaming add the apple chunks. and let them cook for 3 or 4 minutes.
- Add the brown sugar and cinnamon. let them cook, stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes.
- Heat the remaining tablespoon of butter.
- Add the flour to make a roux.
- Add it to the apple mixture. Stir.
- Let it cook, stirring frequently, until the liquid has thickened. take it off the heat and let it cool a bit.
- Break the egg in a small bowl.
- Whisk it to break up the yolk.
- Unfold the pastry sheets. Each box contains one sheet.
- Cut the sheet into six squares approximately 5 inches square.
- Place a spoonful of the apple mixture in the center of a square.
- Brush a little of the egg along the edges of the pastry; it will help seal the edges together.
- Fold the square over from one corner to another making a triangle.
- Use a fork and your fingers to seal the edges.
- Lightly brush the top surface of each turnover with egg and sprinkle on a little sugar.
- Bake the turnovers for 2-25 minutes until nicely browned on top.
- Remove from the oven, let cool a bit, and enjoy.
Related Posts
This Post Has 0 Comments