What's the difference between apple turnovers and apple strudel?

These turnovers are made with puff pastry , which is made by folding the dough over into itself again and again to create the flaky layers. Once the puff pastry is ready to use, you simply add the filling and then fold it over and seal. Apple strudel, on the other hand, is made with a dough that's stretched until it's extremely thin. The paper-thin pastry dough gets topped with the apple filling, and the pastry is then rolled, to create the layers.

Can I use store-bought puff pastry dough?

Yes. Store-bought frozen puff pastry usually comes with 2 sheets, and you'll use both. Thaw the puff pastry for about 2 hours at room temperature. Do not let it get too warm, or it will be hard to work with. An easy way to do this is to put the frozen puff pastry in the refrigerator the night before.

Can I add nuts and/or raisins?

Chopped pecans or walnuts make a wonderful addition to this filling; I love the extra texture they give to the gooey filling. Raisins are a common inclusion in apple strudel, and work just as well in these turnovers. Feel free to add about 1/4 cup of add-ins.

Apple Turnovers (Homemade With Caramel) - Sally's Baking Addiction

Description

Easy, buttery, and incredibly flaky turnovers stuffed with gooey cinnamon apples and generously topped with caramel sauce. You can use store-bought puff pastry or homemade pastry dough. To ensure the turnovers hold shape, refrigerate them for 15 minutes before baking.

Ingredients

Dough

1 lb. homemade rough puff pastry or store-bought frozen & thawed puff pastry (2 sheets)

Filling

2 cups (240g) peeled & diced apples (about 2 medium apples)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (100g) granulated or brown sugar (use either)

Egg Wash + Topping

1 large egg*
1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk (any kind)
optional: 1/2 cup salted caramel, for drizzling

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Dough: Prepare homemade rough puff pastry dough through 2nd refrigeration. If using store-bought frozen puff pastry, make sure it’s thawed. Keep either dough in the refrigerator until step 4 below.
Make the filling: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook the apples, cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, and sugar. Stir constantly for 5 minutes. Reduce to low heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for 20 minutes.
Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
Shape the dough: If using homemade dough (makes 9): On a lightly floured work surface using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the puff pastry dough to a 12-inch square. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut nine 4-inch squares. Transfer squares to prepared baking sheets (4 on one, 5 on the other). If using store-bought dough (makes 8): Unroll the puff pastry sheets onto a lightly floured surface. Using a pizza cutter or a sharp knife, cut each into 4 squares. Transfer squares to prepared baking sheets (4 on each).
Add the filling: Spoon about 2–3 Tablespoons of apple filling onto the center of each square. Fold one corner of the square over the filling to make a triangle. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal. See photo above for visual. Some apple juices may leak out; that’s OK. Chill the shaped turnovers in the refrigerator, covered or uncovered, for at least 15 minutes and up to 1 hour (or freeze, see freezing instructions below). You can preheat the oven and make the egg wash (next steps) as they finish up chilling.
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Whisk the egg and milk together. Using a pastry brush, brush on each chilled turnover. Cut 2 or 3 small steam vents in the tops of each to allow steam to escape.
Bake for 23–25 minutes, or until the turnovers are golden brown. Some butter may leak from the homemade dough, that’s completely normal and expected. Rotate the pans halfway through bake time to avoid uneven browning.
Cool the turnovers on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. If desired, drizzle each with caramel sauce before serving.
Cover leftover turnovers and store at room temperature for 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Notes

Freezing Unbaked Turnovers: In step 5, you can cover and freeze the shaped turnovers for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator, then continue with step 6.
Freezing Baked Turnovers: Baked turnovers can be frozen up to 2 months and thawed overnight in the refrigerator, then warmed up in the oven or microwave.
Special Tools (affiliate links): Saucepan | Rolling Pin | Pizza Cutter | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Pastry Brush
Apples: Here are the best apples for baking.
Adding Nuts or Raisins to the Filling: Chopped pecans or walnuts make a wonderful addition to this filling; I love the extra texture they give to the gooey filling. Raisins work, too! Feel free to add about 1/4 cup of add-ins when you add the apples to the stove.
Egg Wash: An egg wash promises that golden sheen on your pastries. You can skip the egg and use a total of 3 Tablespoons (45ml) milk (any kind, dairy or nondairy) instead.
Caramel or Salted Caramel: Use this homemade caramel sauce. You can keep it as salted caramel, or reduce the amount of salt to 1/2 teaspoon to make it regular caramel.
Chilling shaped turnovers: Chilling the shaped turnovers in the refrigerator before baking them helps them maintain their shape in the oven. Remember, cold pastry dough is best. I usually refrigerate them for 15 minutes as the oven preheats. If you’re nervous about placing cold baking sheets into a hot oven (which can cause warping), you have two other options. You can simply assemble the turnovers on parchment paper or silicone baking mats, lift the parchment/baking mat as a whole and place on another baking sheet or directly onto a shelf in the refrigerator. After chilling, carefully lift up and place the entire parchment/baking mat onto the baking sheet for baking. Or you can use a thin spatula and very carefully transfer the assembled unbaked pastries to a large plate to chill.