Blackberry Turnovers

These are so easy* I'm not even going to post a recipe. I love making individual desserts and turnovers are very simple especially when using store bought puff pastry. Mix up some berries, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon, thickener of your choice (I like tapioca) and fold it into some puff pastry. You will then have flaky turnovers that are much better than the ones you can buy at the bakery in your grocery store that often skimp on the filling.

This is a perfect time to stock pile some berries in the freezer so you can whip up some turnovers, cobblers, pies etc. all through the year. I will be picking gallons of blackberries soon.

*Well I guess this super easy turnover does not sound so easy to everyone. I will explain my technique a little more but have to say I have not used a recipe for these since I was 12 but here is goes...

• about 4 cups blackberries
• sugar to taste, about 1/2 to 1 cup (I like them a little tart especially if I am serving with ice cream)
• about 1 table spoon lemon juice
• about 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• about 1/8 cup tapioca (you could use corn starch as well but adjust amount)
• 2 sheets puff pastry thawed
• sugar
• 1 egg beaten

For berry pies and turnovers I like to make the filling on the stove top so that I can make sure the filling will taste and set right. It is not necessary to cook the filling. You could mix all the above ingredients and add straight to a pie shell or pastry but as I said, I can see exactly how the filling will taste and set this way.

In a heavy bottom sauce pan add your berries, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon and tapioca. Stir to incorporate and bring to a boil. I let the filling boil for about 30-60 seconds until the mixture starts to thicken. Remove from heat and cool before assembling the turnovers (not necessary to cool if making a pie). Once filling is cool, roll out the puff pastry on a floured board and cut into squares of desired size. I like making big turnovers so I cut one sheet into 4 squares. Moisten the edges of the square with egg wash and add a heaping spoonful of the filling into the middle of the square. Fold one corner of the dough over to the opposite corner and seal edges with a fork. Wash the turnover with the beaten egg, sprinkle with sugar and cut one or two vents in the top. Repeat until all turnovers are assembled and bake at 400 degrees until they have reached a deep golden brown (about 25 minutes).