Mini Apple Apricot Turnovers w/ Creamcheese Pastry

I was reading an article about doughs and one thing caught my eye - using creamcheese in your dough!  I quickly checked if I still have creamcheese in the fridge which I usually use for frosting carrot cake and I still got some!

So I have used the last of my creamcheese and the last of my butter for this recipe but hey it's all worth it!  The dough was really great that I've almost ate the unbaked dough hehehe! 

I was not wrong when thinking that this would be a fantastic version of turnovers.  I decided to add the tin apricots too (I really do not want tins to stay long in the pantry and use them just before the expiration dates come).  The taste of each mini turnover is really wow!  I'm pretty sure that my hubby would say the same.  It just melts in your mouth and you can really taste the creamcheese in the pastry.  The filling is quite yummy as well.  Hmm maybe next time I would add jackfruit and banana?  Can't wait!

Ingredients
Creamcheese Pastry
225 g creamcheese
200 butter, softened
2 c plain flour
2 tbsp, cold water
1 egg yolk

Filling
6 c thinly sliced apples
1 tin apricot
2 tsp cinnamon
3/4 c caster sugar

Procedure
Creamcheese Pastry
Beat the creamcheese until it is smooth and pluffy.  To make this easy try using the Kraft spreadable creamcheese. 
Add in the softened butter and continue beating.
Mix in the egg yolk.
Add in the flour little by little.
Add in the cold water.
Mix well.
Form a ball of dough and cover with clingwrap and refrigerate for 1 - 1 1/2 hour. 

Filling
Peel, decore and slice the apples thinly.  If you do not have a multi - slicer, just use the peeler to slice the apples thinly.
Slice the apricots thinly.
Put apricots and apples in a saucepan.
Mix in the sugar and cinnamon.
Pour 1/4 of the apricot juice onto the mixture.
Cook the fruits until tender and the juice has evaporated a bit.

Assembly
You can either follow the empanada dough style of wrapping or the simple way I did with this recipe.
Roll out the dough in a lightly floured surface or baking paper.  Make a 4 inch circle ( You should be able to make 16 - 18 pieces).
Place the filling (about 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp) in the center of the circle.  Wet the edges with water and fold making a half a circle shape.
Pinch the edges together from one corner to the other end and seal.
Bake for 15 minutes in a 180C preheated oven.

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Caramelised Apple Turnovers 1

Turnovers are pastries that are made by placing a filling (maybe meat, fruits or veggies) on a dough folded and sealed.  They can be fried or baked.  Shortcrust pastry or puff pastry dough can be used in making turnovers.  It has its origin from the American cuisine. 

In this recipe, I chose to use the shortcrust pastry which can easily be made by anyone including kids.  I also decided to caramelised the filling instead of just dumping them uncooked in the dough.  The result was really heaven that my hubby couldn't help himself from having more and more pieces.

Ingredients
Shortcrust Pastry
1 1/2 plain flour
125 g butter, cold and cubed
2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp water, cold
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 egg

Filling
5-6 apples (granny smith or pink lady), decored, deseeded, cubed
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c sultanas
1 c water
1 tbsp cinnamon

Egg Wash
1 egg white
1 tsp milk

Procedure
Shortcrust Pastry
Mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. 
Mix in the egg.
Pour in water.
Put in the butter.
Using hands, make sure that all the ingredients are mixed well. 
Knead for at least 3-5 minutes making sure that the butter is well blended with the mixture.
Set aside.

Filling

Mix all the ingredients for the filling and cook over medium fire until the apples are tender but not soggy.

Egg Wash
Whisk the egg whites and milk until mixed

Assembling the Turnovers
Divide the dough into 6.
Roll out the dough in a light floured surface or in a baking paper using a rolling pin until it is 1/4 cm thick. 

Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut a 9x9 inch square.

Place the filling on one side of the square.

Fold the dough and seal using your finger tips.

Brush each side of the dough with egg wash and sprinkle with white sugar.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a bit brown on top in a 180C preheated oven.

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Apple Cinnamon Streusels

We were given lots of veggies and apples last Easter by my sister in law who had a nice farm with her partner in Stanthorpe.  My husband would usually bake his yummiest apple pie this Autumn just like what he has been doing in the past but since he is so busy preparing for his talk next week in 4 different places in Southwest QLD, I am the one in charge of the apples this time. 

I decided to try making streusels using the apples.  This is an easy to do recipe and the taste would be like the ones that you buy from your favorite bakeshop or maybe even better.  Do you ever wonder how those toppings are made?  If you have had streusels before, you would definitely know that this yummy streusel toppings are just crumbed butter, sugar and flour.  Usually nutmeg or cinnamon is also added to it.  With this recipe though I chose to use cinnamon as nutmeg is too strong for my palate.  Streusel has its origin in Germany though sometimes some would refer it to Danish or Swedish.

This is the first of the apple series that I would be doing so have fun cooking and baking!


Ingredients
180 g butter, softened
3/4 c caster sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
3 medium sized granny smith apples, peeled and diced
1 1/2 plain flour, sifted

Toppings
1/4 c brown sugar
1/4 c plain flour
1 tsp cinnamon
30 g butter, softened

Procedure

Sift flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a smaller bowl.  Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar until creamy in a bigger bowl.

Add in eggs one at a time while mixing.

Fold in the sifted dry ingredients little by little into the butter and sugar mixture using a big metal spoon.

Pour the mixture onto a baking paper lined pan.
Top with apples.

For the toppings, mix together all the ingredients using your hands until it resembles a crumble mixture.  Put this streusel mixture onto the top of the apples.

Bake for 50 minutes in a 180C preheated oven.

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