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Cherry season is so short, but so sweet. It's easy to want to eat all of Harry & David's Plump-Sweet Cherries straight from the box when they arrive! However, if possible, try to save a handful to make these sweet little cherry turnovers.
Turnovers are flaky, buttery pastries that encase a sweet fruit filling. The best part about turnovers? They're individually sized, so unlike a cherry pie, you don't have to share! Turnovers are a fun summer treat to make the most of cherry season while it lasts. They can be made out of any fruit, so you can also use this recipe when pears and apples are in season. The pears and apples will just require a little simmering before use.
Making the cherry turnovers
You'll want to remove the puff pastry from the freezer to defrost on the counter for about 30 minutes before you start cooking. The pastry should be soft and pliable before proceeding, but make sure it doesn't get too warm and soft.
While the puff pastry is defrosting, you can prepare the cherries. Harry & David cherries are so big that two halved cherries is plenty to fill a personal turnover, so you'll only need to pit and halve one dozen -- plus a few extra for snacking while you bake, of course! Toss the cherries with sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice. The sugar will coax the juices out of the cherries, and the lemon juice will amplify their sweetness.
Unroll the puff pastry and use a rolling pin to roll it into a 12-inch square. Slice it into four equal pieces (a pizza cutter works great for this task). Then pile the cherries in a line in the center of each puff pastry square. Brush the edges of the pastry with a beaten egg and then fold one corner of the pastry gently over the cherries to meet the opposite corner. Use a fork to press the edges together.
Finally, brush the remaining egg wash over the tops of the turnovers and sprinkle them with course sugar before baking. This will help the turnovers become flaky while they cook.
Now the only question is: Do we eat the cherry turnover for breakfast with coffee or for dessert?!
SERVINGS
- 1 sheet puff pastry (frozen)
- 1 dozen Harry & David® Cherries
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed )
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (plus more for serving)
- 1 large egg (beaten)
- Thaw the puff pastry on the counter for 30 minutes. Test to be sure it's pliable before proceeding; if not, let it rest for another 10 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Pit the cherries and slice each in half.
- Toss the cherries with the lemon juice and granulated sugar in a small bowl.
- Place the puff pastry on a piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Using a rolling pin, gently roll it out until it's roughly a 12" square.
- Use a pizza cutter or knife to slice the pastry into four equal squares.
- Spoon four cherry halves in a line in the center of each pastry square.
- Brush the beaten egg on the edges of the pastry, then lift one corner of the pastry and gently fold it over the cherries to meet the opposite corner. Use a fork to press the dough edges together and seal the cherries inside.
- Brush the remaining egg mixture over the pastries, and sprinkle the tops with extra sugar, if desired.
Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until light brown and puffy.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
AUTHOR
Christina Lane is a 4x cookbook author and blogger at Dessert for Two. She writes about cooking for two, and specializes in small batch desserts and dinners for two.