Apple Turnovers made with Applesauce

Apple Turnovers made with Applesauce

Warning: These Apple Turnovers made with Applesauce are so delicious that you cannot stop at one! 

And before we know it, September is here! Apple Season. The month when fall starts officially. And the month when the almost 7 yo turns 7! And of course, apple season! So let me start with a lip-smacking recipe of Apple Turnovers made with Applesauce.

There has been a few changes in our household over the last couple of weeks. We all try to eat all our meals at the dinner table together - it has been mostly working out. I am trying to embrace a more active lifestyle - not just doing chores and running errands but trying to incorporate at least 30 minutes of active time each day. But the most dramatic change was perhaps - absolutely no TV-time for the almost 7 yo old during weekdays. That has opened up a wonderful new world, where we have proper conversations. Don't get me wrong - it is not that we did not talk before but those were mostly mundane information exchange - now we really talk like we used to during summer vacation.

There was a pleasant nip in the air all of last week when I walked the almost 7 yo to his school bus stop in the mornings. I would take a longer route back home - I just love walking - especially when it is so pleasantly chilly outside.

Once back home, I just wanted to cuddle up on the sofa with a cup of hot tea and something sweet to munch on as I warmed up a little and planned out the rest of the day. And these Apple Turnovers made with Applesauce were the perfect bites. These turned out so good that the almost 7 yo and I managed to gobble all up in two days. 

Ingredients Apple Turnovers made with Applesauce: (yield - about 8 or 10)

• Flour - 1 1/4 Cup
• Butter - 1/3 Cup, cold and cut into cubes
• Chilled Water - 5 tbsp (Take a cup of water and stick it in the freezer till it is ice cold)
• Confectioners Sugar - 2 tbsp (for the dough)
• Salt - a fat pinch
• Apple sauce - 1/2 Cup, unsweetened (refer notes)
• Brown Sugar - 2 tbsp
• Apple Pie Spice - 1/2 tsp (or 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder)
• Egg white mixed with a little water for brushing the pies (or use melted butter)

The Making of Apple Turnovers made with Applesauce

Preheat oven to 400 F once you are ready to bake. Line a cookie sheet with  parchment paper and keep aside. 

Add the flour, confectioners sugar and salt to your food processor (or stand mixer) give it 2 or 3 pulses. Throw in 2 tbsp of butter and give a few pulses till it resembles a coarse crumbly mixture. Now add the remaining butter and give it a couple of more pulses. Take the crumbly flour mix out in a bowl and add 3 tbsp of the water and and mix the dough using a rubber spatula. Now add the remaining water, give it another mix and take the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knead it using the palm of your hand into a ball. Wrap it in a cling wrap/plastic wrap and let it chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour. For more tips for how to bake the perfect pastry dough for the turnovers, check out my Mixed Berry Galette recipe.

Chill the dough.

Once the dough has chilled, take it out and roll it out into a circle or a rectangle. I rolled mine into a rough 10 inch square. Folded it into half, then into quarter. Rolled it out again and repeated the same steps of folding it into half and then into quarter.

Cling wrap the dough and stick it back into the fridge for 30 more minutes.

While the dough is chilling, take the apple sauce in a bowl and mix it with the brown sugar and apple pie spice. If you do not have apple pie spice add about 1/4 tsp of cinnamon powder instead. Whisk it together to combine and keep aside. 

Roll the dough.

Take out the chilled dough and roll it out a little thinner than 1/8th inch. Cut the rolled out dough into 4-5 inch circles or squares. Stick it back in the fridge .

Chilled the rolled out dough.

Take out one circle or square at a time and spoon in about 2 tsp of the applesauce mixture into the middle of the squares/circles - fold it in half and using a fork, firmly press down and crimp the edges. Brush it with egg wash (or melted butter) and transfer it to the parchment lined cookie sheet using a spatula.

Cover the cookie sheet with a plastic cling wrap and stick it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours.

Almost there! Bake time it is!

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes till turnovers turn a yummy shade of golden brown.

Gobble it up while warm! 

Try to save some for the family. Or not.  

Notes:

1. If you want to make applesauce at home, you can follow my recipe here. Just be sure to adjust the amount of apple pie spice since there's already a little cinnamon in the applesauce. 
2. You can make the turnovers up to 24 hours ahead before baking. 
3.  To save time, you can use store-bought puff pastry dough.
4. If you prefer, you can dust the turnovers with cinnamon sugar before baking.