Naturally Sweet Apple Turnovers

Photo: The Duo Dishes

Ingredients

Dough

cups flour

1/8 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 cup unsalted butter, very cold and cubed

4 ounces cream cheese, very cold and cubed

1 egg yolk

Filling

2 large apples, peeled and diced

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon Frangelico (or vanilla or rum)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons milk

Sugar, optional

Preparation

Start dough by whisking dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Add butter and incorporate with a pastry blender until coarse crumbs develop. Add cream cheese and incorporate well.

Plop in egg yolk and stir with a fork until dough comes together into a ball.

Turn dough out onto a floured surface and roll into a uniform ball. Slightly press flat with the palm of your hand and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill at least one hour.

Once dough has chilled, set it on a floured surface and roll it out to about 10″ x 12″. Cut into sixten even squares. Lay the dough squares on a parchment paper covered baking sheet and set in the freezer to chill.

In a separate bowl, toss the apples with the lemon juice, maple syrup, spices and brown sugar. Make sure to cover all of the apple pieces.

Take dough out of freezer. Drop about 1 tablespoon of filling into the center of each piece of dough. Fold one pointed edge towards its opposite corner to form a triangle. Crimp edges with a fork along the seams. Repeat with all of the dough.

Brush a little milk over the top of each turnover and sprinkle with extra sugar if desired. (Pop back into the freezer for a quick chill if the dough is soft.). Bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until browned.