Why is there so little sugar in the filling?

I prefer to lean on the apples for flavor rather than sugar for blind sweetness. I've had too many cloyingly sweet apple desserts that didn't actually taste like apples. I find the natural sweetness of an apple fairly complex. So, what I'm going for here is a balance of natural apple sweetness and tanginess with a little sugar (and honey) for good measure. But YMMV. Feel free to make yours sweeter!

Can I use other types of apples?

Most definitely! Use what you like - and whatever looks freshest at the grocery store or farmers market. Keep in mind that sour apples like Granny Smith may require a little more sugar in the filling. And something like a Red Delicious might call for a squeeze of lemon juice for a contrasting pucker.

Why don't you make your own puff pastry from scratch?

While I love watching Bake Off, I have no delusions of grandeur when it comes to my own baking prowess. I may not be making the dough from scratch but that's only because a perfectly good alternative to homemade puff pastry already exists in the freezer aisle. Frozen puff pastry is foolproof (and I need that, ha!). Trust me, the soulful, sweet filling places my turnovers in the 'homemade-comfort-food from the heart' column.

Puffed Apple Turnovers

Name: Best Apple Turnover Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 sheets ready-to-bake puff pastry, thawed (I use Pepperidge Farm); 1 egg, whisked; 3 tablespoons butter; 2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into small bite size bits (preferably Honeycrisp); 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1 tablespoon honey; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (optional); 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Description

My light and and flaky apple turnovers are just the right amount of sweet and tangy. Get these homemade pastries on the table in just in 40 minutes from start to finish.

Ingredients

Units Scale

2 sheets ready-to-bake puff pastry, thawed (I use Pepperidge Farm)
1 egg, whisked
3 tablespoons butter
2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped into small bite size bits (preferably Honeycrisp)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper (optional)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

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Instructions

Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 400°F. Cover a cooking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
Make the apple mixture. In a pot over medium heat, add butter, apples, sugar, honey, cinnamon, salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmering boil and cook for 10-12 minutes, until apples are tender but still yielding a little crunch. Turn the heat off and transfer to a plate. Let cool to room temperature. Alternatively, you can put the mixture in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to speed up the cooling process. Once cool, add walnuts to the apple mixture and stir well.
Assemble apple turnovers. Slice each puff pastry sheet into four even squares. Scoop up a little apple and walnut mixture and drop it in the center of a square. Wet the edges of the puff pastry square with a little water, grab a corner and fold in half (in triangular shape). Gently press with your fingers to seal. Repeat until all the squares have been used and filled with the mixture.
Apply egg wash. Brush the top of each pastry with egg and sprinkle a little sugar.
Bake, cool and serve. Bake in the oven (400°F) for about 15 minutes, or until puff pastry is flaky and golden brown. Let cool and serve.

Notes

Storage: Once cooled to room temperature, apple turnovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temp (dry, cool and away from any moisture) for up to 2 days. Or in the refrigerator (covered) for up to 5 days. Reheat gently in a toaster oven.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 8 servings
Calories: 455
Sugar: 10.6g
Sodium: 237.7mg
Fat: 30.8g
Saturated Fat: 6.5g
Unsaturated Fat: 14.6g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 40.2g
Fiber: 2.4g
Protein: 5.8g
Cholesterol: 34.7mg