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My husband bought two apple turnovers at the bakery every Saturday morning for years. Then one Saturday I baked a tray at home, and he stood at the counter holding his paper bag and looked at it as if it had let him down. Apple turnovers are one of those bakery-case treats that seem harder than they are. The pastry is store-bought puff pastry, and there is no shame in that. All the real work is in the apples, and in a few small habits that keep the turnovers tall, flaky and sealed.
The two things that go wrong at home are leaks and soggy bottoms. Both come from the filling. Raw apples give off their juice in the oven, the juice boils out through the seams and pools under the pastry, and the bottoms turn pale and wet. The answer is to cook the filling first, thicken the juice, and let it cool completely before it touches the dough. Here is how to keep the filling from leaking out and the bottoms from going soggy, every time.
Why this apple turnovers works
- A cooked filling. Cooking the apples first drives off their water and thickens the juice into a glossy syrup that stays inside the pastry.
- Small dice. Little pieces of apple cook evenly and sit flat, so the turnovers close without tearing.
- A cold filling on cold pastry. Warm filling melts the butter layers in puff pastry, and then it cannot puff.
- A sealed, crimped edge. Egg wash on the border and a firm press with a fork glue the two layers together.
- A chill before baking. Fifteen minutes in the refrigerator firms the butter so the pastry rises high and the seams hold.
Ingredients
Makes 8 turnovers from two sheets of puff pastry. The measurements are in US cups with grams in brackets.
For the apple filling
- 4 medium apples, a mix of tart and sweet (about 600g), peeled, cored and cut in 1/2 inch dice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (30g)
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar (65g)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- A pinch of fine salt
For the turnovers
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry (about 490g in all), thawed in the refrigerator
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling
- A little flour, for the counter
For the glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar (120g)
- 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Use apples that hold their shape when cooked, such as Granny Smith with Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious. Thaw the puff pastry overnight in the refrigerator, not on the counter, so the butter layers stay cold.
How to make apple turnovers
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and salt. Cook, stirring now and then, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the apples are just tender but still hold their shape.
- Stir the cornstarch mixture, pour it in and cook for 1 minute more, stirring, until the juices turn thick and glossy.
- Spread the filling on a plate and let it cool completely, then chill it for at least 20 minutes. It must be cold before it goes on the pastry.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Unfold one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured counter and roll it gently into a 10 inch square. Cut it into four 5 inch squares. Repeat with the second sheet.
- Brush a thin line of egg wash around the edges of each square. Put a heaping spoonful of cold filling in the middle, leaving a clear border. Do not overfill.
- Fold each square corner to corner into a triangle and press the edges together with your fingers, then crimp them firmly with a fork.
- Set the turnovers on the lined sheet, brush the tops with egg wash, cut two small slits in each for steam and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Chill the tray in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the turnovers are tall, deep golden on top and golden underneath when you lift one with a spatula.
- Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla into a thick glaze and drizzle it over the warm turnovers.
Tips that make the difference
- Keep a clean border. Filling on the edges stops the layers sticking and is the most common cause of leaks.
- If the pastry gets soft and sticky while you work, slide it onto a tray and chill it for 10 minutes.
- Lift one turnover after 20 minutes and look at the bottom. If it is still pale, give them a few more minutes.
- Glaze them warm, not hot. On hot pastry the glaze melts and runs off.
Variations
- Cherry turnovers. Use 3 cups pitted tart cherries, fresh or frozen, cooked with sugar and cornstarch until thick.
- Caramel apple. Add a small spoon of thick caramel sauce on top of the apples before folding.
- Cinnamon sugar. Skip the glaze and sprinkle the egg-washed tops with cinnamon sugar.
- Squares. Cut the pastry into rectangles and fold them in half for bakery-style apple pockets.
Storage and make-ahead
Turnovers are best the day they are baked. Keep leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Crisp them again in a 350 degree oven for 5 to 8 minutes.
Freeze unbaked turnovers on a tray, then pack them in a bag for up to 2 months. Bake from frozen, adding 5 to 8 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my turnovers leak?
The filling was too wet or too warm, there was too much of it, or the edges were not sealed. Cook and cool the filling, leave a border and crimp firmly.
Why are the bottoms soggy?
Raw or warm filling. Cooking the apples first and baking on a parchment-lined metal sheet gives crisp bottoms.
Can I make the filling ahead?
Yes. It keeps covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and cold filling is exactly what you want.
Do I have to use puff pastry?
Puff pastry gives the bakery layers. A homemade pie crust also works, but the turnovers will be crisp and short instead of tall and flaky.
Bake a tray on a Saturday morning and see how long the bakery bag lasts in your house.
Apple Turnovers with Puff Pastry (Bakery Style, No Leaks, No Soggy Bottoms)
Bakery-style apple turnovers made with store-bought puff pastry and a cooked cinnamon apple filling, sealed, chilled and baked until tall and flaky, then drizzled with a simple vanilla glaze.
Ingredients
- 4 medium apples, a mix of tart and sweet (about 600g), peeled, cored and cut in 1/2 inch dice
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water
- A pinch of fine salt
- 2 sheets frozen puff pastry (about 490g in all), thawed in the refrigerator
- 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, for sprinkling
- A little flour, for the counter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced apples, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice and salt. Cook, stirring now and then, for 6 to 8 minutes, until the apples are just tender but still hold their shape.
- Stir the cornstarch mixture, pour it in and cook for 1 minute more, stirring, until the juices turn thick and glossy.
- Spread the filling on a plate and let it cool completely, then chill it for at least 20 minutes. It must be cold before it goes on the pastry.
- Heat the oven to 400 degrees (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Unfold one sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured counter and roll it gently into a 10 inch square. Cut it into four 5 inch squares. Repeat with the second sheet.
- Brush a thin line of egg wash around the edges of each square. Put a heaping spoonful of cold filling in the middle, leaving a clear border. Do not overfill.
- Fold each square corner to corner into a triangle and press the edges together with your fingers, then crimp them firmly with a fork.
- Set the turnovers on the lined sheet, brush the tops with egg wash, cut two small slits in each for steam and sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Chill the tray in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the turnovers are tall, deep golden on top and golden underneath when you lift one with a spatula.
- Cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla into a thick glaze and drizzle it over the warm turnovers.
