Flaky Apple Turnovers

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(from Bethany’s recipe box)

MAKES NINE 5-INCH TURNOVERS

If at any point during rolling the dough becomes sticky and difficult to work with, transfer it to a cookie sheet or cutting board, wrap it in plastic, and chill until it becomes workable. The dough can be made through step 4, then wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and kept for up to 5 days in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. Defrost frozen dough in the refrigerator 1 day before you plan to use it.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS:
For an apple turnover recipe that wouldn’t require a day in the kitchen, we used quick food processor puff pastry and added a quick extra step for more flakiness—the classic technique fraisage, in which the dough is pressed, one handful at a time, against the work surface so the butter is forced into thin sheets. Instead of using chunks or slices in our apple turnover recipe, we grated the apples for maximum flavor, then seasoned them with lemon juice, sugar, and just a pinch of salt, saving the cinnamon for dusting the surface of the turnovers.

http://www.americastestkitchenfeed.com/bake-it-better/2013/02/secrets-to-apple-turnovers/

Source: Cook's Illustrated Published January 1, 2001

Categories: Eggs and Breakfast

Ingredients

  • QUICKEST PUFF PASTRY
  • 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (10 ounces)
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon table salt
  • 16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks) cold, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
  • 6 tablespoons water ice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • APPLE FILLING
  • 4 Granny Smith apples (about 1 pound)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon table salt
  • CINNAMON SUGAR
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Directions

  1. In workbowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, pulse to combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add one-quarter of the butter cubes and cut butter into flour until butter is in dime-sized pieces, four 1-second pulses. Add remaining butter to coat cubes with flour, two 1-second pulses. Transfer mixture to medium bowl.

  2. Combine ice water and lemon juice in small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons liquid to flour and butter mixture and toss until just combined. Toss in remaining water, then turn dough out onto work surface. Follow illustrations 1 through 3, “Fraisage Makes for Tender Pastry,” below, to fraisage dough; wrap in plastic and refrigerate.

  3. Unwrap dough and follow illustrations 1 and 2 in “Shaping the Turnovers” (below) to roll and fold dough twice. If dough is soft and sticky, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes until workable, then repeat rolling and pressing. When second rolling and folding is complete, wrap dough in plastic and chill at least 30 minutes.

  4. Following illustrations 3 and 4 from" Shaping The Turnovers," below, roll, trim and cut dough into nine 5-inch squares. Slide parchment and dough onto cookie sheet or large cutting board and refrigerate while making filling.

  5. Peel apples. Following illustration 5 from" Shaping The Turnovers," below, grate on large holes of box grater. Combine grated apples, sugar, lemon juice, and salt in medium bowl. Line baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Working one at a time, remove dough squares from refrigerator and set on work surface. Place 2 tablespoons grated apple filling (squeezed of excess liquid) in center of dough. Moisten two adjoining edges of dough square with finger dipped in apple liquid, then fold top portion of dough over bottom, making sure to overlap the bottom portion by 1/8 inch. Follow illustration 6 from “Shaping The Turnovers,” below, to crimp edges of turnover with tines of fork. Using wide metal spatula, transfer turnover to prepared baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining dough squares. Refrigerate 30 minutes or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours.

  6. While turnovers are chilling, adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.

  7. Brush or mist turnovers lightly with water and sprinkle evenly with cinnamon sugar. Bake until golden brown, 18 to 22 minutes. Using wide metal spatula, transfer turnovers to wire rack to cool.

  8. STEP-BY-STEP – SHAPING THE TURNOVERS: 1. Place the dough onto a lightly floured large piece of parchment paper and roll into a 15 by 10-inch rectangle. Fold the dough lengthwise into thirds. 2. Starting from a narrow end, loosely roll up the dough as illustrated. Press it to form a 6 by 5-inch rectangle. Repeat steps 1 and 2, first chilling dough if it is soft and sticky. 3. On a large sheet of parchment paper lightly dusted with flour, roll the dough to an 18-inch square that is slightly under 1/8 inch thick. Using a ruler and a pizza cutter, trim the dough to a 15-inch square. 4. Make two incisions at 5-inch intervals on all four sides of the square. Line ruler up with incisions and cut the dough into nine 5-inch squares. 5. Grate the peeled apples on the large holes of a box grater, discarding the core and seeds. 6. With a fork dipped in flour, press to seal and crimp the edges.

  9. STEP-BY-STEP – FRAISAGE MAKES FOR TENDER PASTRY: 1. Turn the shaggy dough mass onto the work surface and press it together with both hands. 2. Use the heel of one hand braced against the work surface to drag a small portion of the dough forward in a short, brisk stroke. Repeat with the remaining dough portions. 3. Gather the dough together with a bench scraper and repeat the fraisage a second time. Press the dough into an 8 by 4-inch rectangle, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

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