Mini Apple Turnovers

Christmas baking season is officially upon us.  I have been going through absolutely ridiculous amounts of sugar and butter every single day.  (Last year I actually sat down and calculated how many pounds of butter I used every week - I was shocked and astounded.)

Courtney had a friend over last night so I decided to get them involved in the Christmas baking.  (Actually, there was no baking involved but there was a lot of sugar.)  I was thrilled to have the help in the kitchen and as soon as the girls heard the words caramel and chocolate, they were in.  We made a LOT of chocolate covered caramel pretzels!

After dipping more than 4 dozen pretzels and bagging them up for gifts, we found ourselves with some leftover melted chocolate.  (What's a girl to do with extra melted chocolate?)  We searched the pantry for the perfect "dippable" ingredient.  We finally settled on marshmallows.  As luck would have it, I also had some strawberries in the frig that were practically begging to be dipped in chocolate.  (Nothing says girls night like chocolate covered strawberries and marshmallows!)

 

One of my other favorite make ahead Christmas desserts are apple turnovers.  The trick is to prepare them right up until you're ready to put them in the oven and instead of baking them - freeze them.  Freeze them on a baking sheet until they are firm and then toss them into a freezer bag.  You can pull them out of the freezer, place them back on a freezer tray and bake them frozen.  (Add and extra 5 minutes to baking time.)  Voila - freshly baked apple turnovers with no fuss! 

Mini Apple Turnovers
8 ounces cream cheese           
2 cups flour
¾ cup butter               
7 cups sliced apples
1 egg                   
¾ cups sugar
3 Tablespoons water           
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.

  
Refrigerate egg white.  Beat egg yolk and 2 Tablespoons water in cream cheese mixture.

Gradually beat in flour.

Shape into a disk and refrigerate for 1 hour.







Toss apples with sugar and cinnamon.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer 8 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Roll pastry to 1/8” thickness.
 

Cut into 4” circles using biscuit cutter.

Top each with apples and brush edges with water.

Fold pastry over filling and seal or top with another disk and seal.

Whisk egg white and remaining water.  Brush over pastry.  Sprinkle with sugar.

 Bake 18-22 minutes at 375.

I would love to know what your baking this holiday season.  Send me a comment and let me know.

Ciao!

Mini Apple Turnovers
8 ounces cream cheese           
2 cups flour
¾ cup butter               
7 cups sliced apples
1 egg                   
¾ cups sugar
3 Tablespoons water           
1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.  Refrigerate egg white.  Beat egg yolk and 2 Tablespoons water in cream cheese mixture.  Gradually beat in flour.  Shape into a disk and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Toss apples with sugar and cinnamon.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer 8 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Roll pastry to 1/8” thickness.  Cut into 4” circles using biscuit cutter.  Top each with apples and brush edges with water.  Fold pastry over filling and seal.  Whisk egg white and remaining water.  Brush over pastry.  Sprinkle with sugar and bake 18-22 minutes at 375