Sweet Cherry Turnovers
Sweet cherry turnovers are a delightful pastry treat that combines the natural sweetness of cherries with flaky, buttery pastry dough. These hand-held delights are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, and they are surprisingly easy to make at home. In this step-by-step guide, we'll take you through the process of creating sweet cherry turnovers from scratch.
Yield: 2
Cost: $5
Materials
For the Pastry Dough:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 1/2 cup ice water
For the Cherry Filling:
- 2 cups fresh sweet cherries, pitted and halved
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- 1 tablespoon milk (for egg wash)
- Powdered sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
Prepare the Pastry Dough
- Chill Your Ingredients: Place the cubed butter and a mixing bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes. Cold ingredients are essential for a flaky pastry.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
- Cut in the Butter: Remove the cold butter from the freezer and add it to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. You should still see small chunks of butter in the mixture.
- Add Ice Water: Gradually add the ice water to the mixture, stirring with a fork until the dough begins to come together. Be careful not to overmix; the dough should be shaggy and slightly sticky.
- Form a Dough Disk: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and gather it into a ball. Flatten it into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Prepare the Cherry Filling
- Pit and Halve the Cherries: While the dough is chilling, pit the sweet cherries and cut them in half. If you have a cherry pitter, it will make this task much easier.
- Mix with Sugar and Cornstarch: In a mixing bowl, combine the halved cherries with granulated sugar and cornstarch. If you like, add a touch of almond extract for an extra layer of flavor. Toss the mixture gently to coat the cherries evenly. Set aside.
Roll Out the Dough
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the Dough: On a floured surface, roll out the chilled dough into a large rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick. Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to trim the edges and create an even rectangle.
Cut and Fill the Dough
- Divide the Dough: Cut the rolled-out dough into smaller squares or rectangles, depending on your preference for turnover size. Typically, 4x4-inch squares work well.
- Fill with Cherry Mixture: Place a spoonful of the cherry mixture in the center of each dough square, leaving some space around the edges to seal the turnovers. Be careful not to overfill.
- Fold and Seal: Fold each square in half to create a triangle, enclosing the cherry filling. Use a fork to gently press the edges together and seal the turnovers. You can also use your fingers to crimp the edges decoratively.
Bake and Finish
- Egg Wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk to create an egg wash. Brush the tops of the turnovers with the egg wash; this will give them a beautiful golden-brown finish when baked.
- Bake: Place the turnovers on the prepared baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until they are golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Cool and Dust: Allow the sweet cherry turnovers to cool on a wire rack. Once they have cooled slightly, dust them with powdered sugar for an elegant touch.