Puff pastry is such a wonderfully versatile ingredient to have on hand. You can make countless appetizers with them - some of my favorites being baked brie, caramelized onion & mushrom tarts, and pear & goat cheese tarts. I mean, who doesn't love an appetizer that involves a crispy, flaky, buttery pastry?
Anyway, in addition to appetizers, desserts are my other favorite way to use puffed pastry... and these easy turnovers are a great example of why. Adding almost any fruit filling to puff pastry is delicious, but I think berries is my favorite - the sweet & tart berry filling is the perfect counterpart to the crisp, flaky crust. This dessert is so easy and absolutely delish!
Mixed Berry Turnovers
- 1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 cup fresh or frozen mixed berries (I used a mix of blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries)
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 1/2 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. grated lemon peel
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp. water
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the mixed berries, sugar, cornstarch, and lemon peel. Mash well with a fork, and bring the pan to a boil over low heat. *If using frozen berries, just make sure to mash them as they heat up in the pan.
Once the mixture begins to boil, cook & stir for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in the remaining berries & butter and remove pan from heat.
Unfold the puff pastry, and on a lightly floured surface, roll out the sheet into roughly a 10x15 inch rectangle. Cut the sheet into (6) 5 inch squares, and spoon 2-3 Tbsp. of berry mixture into the center of each square.
Whisk the egg and water in a small bowl, and lightly brush the egg wash around the edges of the squares. Fold the squares diagonally in half, pressing the edges, and sealing them with the tines of a fork.
Place the turnovers on a parchment lined baking sheet, and brush the tops with the egg wash. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool and enjoy!
