Cherry Turnovers

Step 1

Begin by gathering and prepping all of the turnover ingredients except for the puff pastry sheets—keep those frozen—according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.

Step 2

Prepare your cherry filling: place the pitted cherries into a small pot along with the lemon juice and water. In a small dish, mix together the sugar and the cornstarch, and add this mixture into the cherries in the pot and stir to combine.

Step 3

Turn the heat on medium-high under the cherries and bring the mixture to a boil. Then, reduce the heat and simmer the filling for about 8 minutes, until the filling thickens and becomes very glossy, red, and shiny. Remove the filling from the heat, stir in the almond extract, then spoon the filling into a clean bowl to completely cool. (You can place the filling into the fridge to expedite the cooling process.)

Step 4

While the cherry filling cools, remove the puff pastry sheets from the freezer, and thaw at room temperature according to package instructions. (If your puff pastry is thawed before the filling is completely cooled, then place the sheets into the fridge to keep cold.)

Step 5

Once the filling has cooled, place one of the puff pasty sheets on a lightly floured work surface in front of you. Using a rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry sheet into a square that is 10 inch x 10 inch, then cut this square into 4 equal size squares that are 5” each.

Step 6

Add about 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cherry filling to the center of each square, then brush the edge with egg wash, and carefully fold one half of the puff pasty square over the filling to create a triangle shape. Press the seam with your fingers to seal, then using a fork, crimp the edges to further seal.

Step 7

Place the 4 filled and sealed turnovers onto a large, parchment-lined baking sheet, and repeat the process with the other puff pasty sheet to create 4 more turnovers, making a total of 8 cherry turnovers.

Step 8

Next, using a paring knife, gently cut two slits into the top of each turnover to create vents, then place the turnovers, with their baking sheet, into the freezer to chill for 15-20 minutes. (Do not skip this step, as the puff pastry dough will be too soft/warm at this point, and will spread rather than puff while baking.)

Step 9

While the turnovers chill, preheat your oven to 400°.

Step 10

Once chilled, brush a bit of the egg wash over each cherry turnover, and sprinkle over top of each a small amount of the turbinado sugar, if using.

Step 11

Bake the turnovers for 22-24 minutes, or until a deep golden brown. Once baked, place the turnovers onto a wire rack to completely cool.

Step 12

While the turnovers cool, gather and prep your glaze ingredients according to the ingredient list above to have ready and organized for use.

Step 13

In a small bowl, whisk all glaze ingredients together until smooth and creamy. Once the turnovers are cooled to room temp, drizzle a small amount of the glaze over each turnover, allow it to set up for a few minutes, then enjoy your cherry turnovers.