Coconut - Mango - Kiwi Popsicles

Coconut-Mango-Kiwi triopsicles delicious and so much fun to make.  We started with coconut juice and blended the mango and kiwi with lemon grass infused simple syrup.  The only change we would make would be to add some roasted coconut flakes to the coconut juice section.

Thanks goodness for Popsicle sticks since I continue to break the plastic pieces that came with the molds.  While slicing the strawberries I came up with the idea to put them on the ends of the Popsicle.  The kids loved that addition. 

 Coconut-Mango-Kiwi Triopsicles

1/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup water

pinch kosher salt

1 stalk of lemon grass cut

½ cup coconut juice

raspberries

1 medium mangos, peeled, pitted, and cut into chunks

½ cup sliced strawberries

4 kiwis peeled

 

~ combine the sugar, salt, lemon grass and cup water in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat

~ bring to a boil and make sure the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool completely

~ transfer the syrup to a 1-quart liquid measuring cup and refrigerate until cool

~ meanwhile pour the coconut juice into the molds 1/3 full and place in freezer  ( I added a fresh raspberry next time I will add toasted coconut flakes and bits of raspberry) – coconut juice should be frozen before continuing

~ puree mango in blender and add 1/3 of the simple syrup (remove lemongrass first) blend again

~ pour 1/3 into each mold and add raspberries

~ puree kiwi in blender and add remaining simple syrup

~ pour into mold and add strawberry slices

~ put slice of strawberry onto each Popsicle stick

~ place Popsicle into each mold

~ place in freezer

~ to unmold, dip the mold in a deep pan of hot water until the pops pull out easily, 30 to 40 seconds, or let sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes

~ unmold and store the pops in individual resealable plastic bags; they are best eaten within 3 weeks

 

Bagels

Hot fresh bagels!!!  I have tried many a bagel recipes and this one is my hands down favorite with a bit of adaptation.  I really need to make these more often since they are so easy.

WARNING: this recipe is not for the faint of heart mixer.  The stiff dough can burn the heck out of the motor.

FYI this recipe has a night time start

I prefer to pop a hole in the middle.  Rolling the dough  is to much work.

Then stick you fingers in the middle and slowly pull outward.

Good night, Bagels ready for a slow cold rise.

Good morning beauties, nice and puffy

A quick boil

Dip into the toppings when still wet and sticky

 agh!  lowest shelf... lowest shelf oops

Bagels

From Cooks Illustrated

The New Best Recipes

  adapted

2 cups all purpose King Arthur Flour

2 cups King Arthur Bread flour

2 t sea salt

1T barley malt syrup

1 1/2t dry active yeast

1 ¼ cups water (80 degrees)

toppings: poppy seeds, sesame seeds, caraway seeds, black caraway seeds, kosher salt…anything your heart desires

~ mix the flours, salt, and barley malt in a bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook

~ mix a low speed to blend

~ add the yeast and water

~ mix at the lowest speed until dough looks scrappy about 4 minutes

~ increase speed to low-medium and mix until dough comes together and is smooth and stiff about 8 to 10 minutes

~ remove the dough from bowl and put on work surface

~ divide the dough into 8 equal pieces about 4oz each

~ roll each piece into a smooth ball and cover with towel for 5 minutes

~ poke one finger into the center of the ball

~ then stick two fingers into the center hole, stretching the dough into a circle

~ try to get the center hole an inch to an inch and a half while maintaining an equal thickness all the way around.  As you can see I have not perfected this technique

~ place the bagels on baking sheets dusted with corn meal, cover with plastic wrap and proof in the refrigerator overnight, 12-18 hours

~ remove the bagels from the refrigerator 20 minutes before baking

~ in a saucer or two pour your toppings

~ adjust the oven to racks to lower middle and heat to 450

~ if using a baking stone, my preference, sprinkle with corn meal

~ pour water into a large wide lipped stock pot, water should be at least 3 inches in depth and bring to a rapid boil

~ working 3 to 4 at a time drop the raw bagels into the boiling water

~ after 20 seconds flip the bagels and remove after 10-15 seconds

~ transfer to a wired rack bottom side down

~ when cool enough to handle gently press into toppings

~ place in oven and bake until golden brown ( not burned like mine) about 14 minutes

~ use tongs to remove and cool on wire rack

Caesar Salad in Seconds...will maybe minutes

 

I could eat Caesar Salad everyday but I don't always have the time to whip the dressing up.  Well thank you Pam Anderson!  I give you a Caesar Salad you can throw together in a moments notice.  I added the low fat and high fat option.  Also garlic lovers, like me, could add more garlic.  If you feel the need for anchovies just garnish the top or squirt 1/2 teaspoon of anchovy paste into the mayo base.  Impress the snobbiest eaters with this easy elegant salad. 

Simple Scrumptious Caesar Salad

with

Quick Garlic Croutons

from Pam Anderson

Cooksmart 

Garlic croutons

4 garlic cloves (feeling lazy? Get the frozen cubes from Trader Joe’s)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cups bread cubes, 3/4-inch, cut from a good quality baguette or 2 cups baguette or 2 cups Italian bread (I used left over bagels)

1 pinch salt

Salad

3 romaine lettuce hearts, about 10 generous cups ( remove any dark green outer leaves and reserve for another use) (I bought romaine hearts from Trader Joe’s)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 1/2 tablespoons low fat or regular mayonnaise

1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

5 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon salt

fresh ground black pepper

1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for sprinkling ( preferably Parmigiano-Reggiano)

croutons:

~ heat large skillet over low heat

~ with motor running, drop garlic cloves through feeder tube of food processor to mince ~ scrape down sides of bowl and add oil through feeder tube

~ continue to process so that garlic releases its flavor into oil, about 30 seconds

~  strain garlic from oil through a fine-mesh strainer; reserve half of garlic for dressing and set aside remaining half for another use

~ you should have about 3 tablespoons of garlic oil

~   raise heat under skillet to medium

~ place bread cubes in medium bowl

~  drizzle 2 tablespoons garlic oil evenly over bread, along with a big pinch of salt; toss to coat

~ add remaining 1 tablespoon oil; toss again

~ add bread cubes to hot skillet and toast, turning cubes and shaking pan often, until crisp and golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes

~ return croutons to bowl and set aside to cool while preparing salad.

salad

~ cut off bottom 1 1/2 to 2 inches of core from bottom of each romaine heart

~ separate heart into individual leaves

~ put leaves in large bowl

~ whisk lemon juice, mayonnaise, Worcestershire and reserved garlic in a small bowl

~ drizzle lettuce with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss lightly, carefully, and thoroughly so that lettuce is evenly coated with oil

~  drizzle lemon mixture over lettuce; toss again

~ sprinkle 1/4 cup Parmesan over greens; toss again

~ sprinkle croutons over salad, toss, and serve, sprinkling each portion with a little more Parmesan cheese

 

Mango Strawberry Pop...Things That Make You Go yummmmmm

 

We have finally hopped on the bandwagon with homemade Popsicles.  We pass on the cupcake trend since my kids decided they hated cupcakes, huh???  Cake pops although extremely cute and clever looked just too time consuming.  I did enjoy following bakerella’s blog during the development and thought where did she find the time.  But, what a huge payoff!  Also out in my desert wasteland, we lack specialty stores.  Internet is always an option but I love to shop and touch, feel, smell, debate and so on. 

We stumbled upon some pop molds. In addition, fresh fruit from our garden and the grocery store is always plentiful.  And man it is always hot here.  Yesterday my minivan registered 119, but it is dry heat, thank goodness…finally!  A perfect endeavor for us and a healthy snack too.    

This mango strawberry pop was our first go at it and yum.  Last week I tried to sneak some protein powder into a nectarine pops and those little buggers gave me a scrunched up face and yuck, darn, darn, darn. 

 

We plan to continue our pop experiments on our own and with the help of FineCooking create your own feature, so much fun!  It is like a video game.  Choice your ingredients and wa-la your complete recipe created for you by you.

Next week we go exotic after we visit Cardenas Market.  A great grocery store loaded with Mexican specialties.

  Mango Strawberry POP

From Fine Cooking

1/2 cup granulated sugar

½ cup water

pinch kosher salt

3 medium mangos, peeled, pitted, and cut into chunks

½ cup sliced strawberries

~ combine the sugar, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat

~ bring to a boil and make sure the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool completely

~ transfer the syrup to a 1-quart liquid measuring cup

~ puree the mango chunks in batches in a blender

~ measure out 2 cups of puree (save any extra for another use) and combine it with the syrup

~ distribute the sliced strawberries among ten 1/3-cup pop molds

~ add the fruit mixture to each mold

~ stir gently with a Popsicle stick to distribute the quartered strawberries

~ freeze until partially frozen, about 1 hour. Insert sticks and freeze again until the pops are fully set, 4 to 6 hours more or like me just stick the sticks or holders when you put them in the freezer

~ to unmold, dip the mold in a deep pan of hot water until the pops pull out easily, 30 to 40 seconds, or let sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes

~ unmold and store the pops in individual resealable plastic bags; they are best eaten within 3 weeks

  

Sugar-Crusted Chocolate Cookies

 

 I am not a baker.  Bakers are artist of taste and chemistry.  It is all about the chemical reaction.  I can follow a recipe but I don't dare change anything but the add-ins.

Cookies, cookies scream my young'ins.  

This recipe reminds me of a cookie I ate as a child.  We bought delicious cookies from a local factory, yum.  The chocolate sugar cookie and the sandwich cookie with the hole in the middle (where we would push our finger through to eat the creamy filling goodness) were my favorites. We loved these cookies.

Are you excited for the start of Bravo's Top Chef Just Dessert??  Our calendar is marked August 24th.

Sugar-Crusted Chocolate Cookies

From Jacques Torres
 nothing changes, why mess with perfection?

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

Pinch of salt

1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons cold milk

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 large egg white

1/2 cup granulated sugar

~ in a food processor, pulse the flour, cocoa and salt

~ add the butter and process until sandy, about 3 minutes

~ add the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla extract and process until a firm dough forms

~ transfer the dough to 2 sheets of plastic wrap and form into two 7-inch logs, about 1 1/2 inches thick

~ wrap in plastic and refrigerate until very firm, at least 4 hours or overnight.

~ preheat the oven to 350° and position racks in the upper and lower thirds

~ line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper

~ beat the egg white in a small bowl

~ sprinkle the granulated sugar in a 7-inch square on a sheet of wax paper

~ brush the logs with the egg white and roll in the sugar, pressing to help it adhere

~ cut the logs into 1/4-inch slices and transfer to the baking sheets, about 1/2 inch apart

~ bake the cookies for about 20 minutes, until just firm to the touch; shift the sheets from ~ top to bottom and front to back halfway through for even baking

~ transfer the baking sheets to racks to cool

Home Made Pop Tarts

My kids never like pop-tarts.  Actually they have only tried the organic versions and they could take them or leave them, no burning desire to eat them.  So I thought I would try out the beloved Joanne Chang's version to see if I could turn them around.  I am always scouting for an easy to serve breakfast and with school a month away...

I tolled for the perfect pastry and delighted with my results.  Their response, "oh it's a fancy jelly sandwich".  I did not make the glaze perhaps that was my mistake?

Homemade Pop-Tarts
from Joanne Chang

For the Pâte Brisée

1 3/4 cups (245 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour

1 Tbs. sugar

1 tsp. kosher salt

1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces

2 egg yolks

3 Tbs. cold milk

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup (340 grams) raspberry jam

~ Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment

~ mix together the flour, sugar, and salt for 10 to 15 seconds, or until combined

 ~ scatter the butter over the top

~ mix on low speed for 1 to 11/2 minutes, or just until the flour is no longer bright white and holds together when you clump it and lumps of butter the size of pecans are visible throughout

~ in a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and milk until blended

~ add to the flour mixture all at once

~ mix on low speed for about 30 seconds, or until the dough just barely comes together

~ it will look really shaggy and more like a mess than a dough.

~ dump the dough out onto an unfloured work surface, then gather it together into a tight mound

~ using your palm and starting on one side of the mound, smear the dough bit by bit, starting at the top of the mound and then sliding your palm down the side and along the work surface until most of the butter chunks are smeared into the dough and the dough comes together

~ do this once or twice on each part of the dough, moving through the mound until the whole mess has been smeared into a cohesive dough with streaks of butter

~ gather up the dough, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and press down to flatten into a disk about 1 inch thick

~ refrigerate for at least 4 hours before using. (The dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month)

~ when you're ready to use the dough, position a rack in the center of the oven, and heat the oven to 350°F

~ remove the dough from the refrigerator and divide it in half

~ press each half into a rectangle

~ on a lightly floured surface, roll out each half into a 14-by-11-inch rectangle

~ using a round cookie cutter cut dough into circles and using a fork, lightly score the edges of the circles

~ brush the top surface of the entire scored rectangle with the egg

~ spoon 2 Tbs. of the jam in a mound in the center of each scored circle

~  lay the second large dough rectangle directly on top of the first

~ using fingertips, carefully press down all around each jam mound, so the pastry adhere to each other

~ place the circles, well spaced, on a baking sheet

~ bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the tops of the pastries are evenly golden brown.

~ let cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack for about 30 minutes

The pastries can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days

side note: I did not go for the traditional pop-tart rectangle due the possible excessive crust.

  

Lemongrass Bars with Coconut Shortbread Crust

Lemons sweet and sour, we can't get enough!  Unfortunate, our neighbor’s trees ripen in November, so we move on to our lemon grass.

Our lemon grass...growing like a weed and I am happy.  

Easy lemon grass growing guide:

   

o       buy some lemon grass from the market

o       stick it in about 2 inches of water

o       watch and wait for roots to form

o       plant in your garden

o       share with your friends because it grows fast

The plant pictured above was just one shoot and now look at it now

and I removed four shoots already.

Lemongrass Bars with Coconut Shortbread Crust

from Bon Appétit | March 2011

Ivy Manning

adapted 

Crust:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup sweetened shredded coconut (about 3 ounces)

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

Filling:

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 lemongrass stalks, bottom 4 inches only, tough outer layer removed, finely chopped (scant 1/2 cup)

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

3 large eggs

1/4 cup all purpose flour

Powdered sugar

lemon zest

For crust:

~ preheat oven to 350°F

~ butter 13 x 9 x 2- inch metal baking pan

~ using electric mixer, beat flour, coconut, powdered sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in large bowl until well blended, 30 seconds

~ add butter; beat on low speed until moist clumps form

 ~ press dough onto bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of pan

 ~ bake crust until golden (edges will be darker), about 25 minutes

 

For filling:

~  meanwhile, place sugar and lemongrass in processor; pulse until lemongrass is finely ground, about 1 minute

~  add lemon juice; process until well blended, about 30 seconds

~  add eggs; process to blend, 10 to 15 seconds

~  add flour and pinch of salt; pulse until smooth

~ reduce oven temperature to 325°F

~ pour filling over hot crust; bake until filling is firm, 22 to 23 minutes

~ cool in pan on rack

~ cut lemongrass bars lengthwise into 4 strips, then crosswise into 6 pieces

~ dust bars with powdered sugar and lemon zest

from our garden: lemon grass

Lemon-Glazed Banana Scones with Crystallized Ginger

 

We always have browning bananas in our midst so, I am always looking for ways to unload these forgotten jewels.  This recipe comes with a bonus!  I finally opened the crystallized ginger that has been sitting around forever.

Click here for the original recipe at finecooking.com and have fun at their site by playing with the “create your own feature”.  We enjoy experimenting with the Pop feature – our new daily must do.

Lemon-Glazed Banana Scones with Crystallized Ginger

from Nicole Rees
Fine Living Magazine

adapted

 

For the scones

9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more as needed

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2-1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. finely grated fresh lemon zest

3/8 tsp. sea salt salt

2-3/4 oz. (5-1/2 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1 small ripe (but not mushy) banana, cut into 1/4-inch dice (1/2 cup)

1 1/2 Tbs. minced crystallized ginger

3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. heavy cream; more for brushing

Coarse white sanding sugar (optional)

For the glaze

3 oz. (3/4 cup) confectioners’ sugar

1-1/2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1/2 oz. (1 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened

Pinch table salt

~ position a rack in the top third of the oven and heat the oven to 375°F

~ stack two rimmed baking sheets and line the top one with parchment

~ in a large bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt

~ with your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until a few pea-size lumps remain

~  stir in the banana and the ginger

~  add the cream; with a fork, gradually stir until the mixture just comes together

~ turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and pat gently into a 7-inch circle about 1 inch high

~ using a chef’s knife or bench knife, cut the dough into 8 wedges

~ transfer to the baking sheet, spacing the wedges 1 to 2 inches apart

~ brush the tops with heavy cream and sprinkle liberally with sanding sugar (if using)

~ bake until the tops are golden, 19 to 25 minutes, rotating halfway through baking for even browning

~ transfer the scones to a wire rack and cool slightly, 3 to 4 minutes

~ glaze the scone

Glaze

~ in a small bowl, stir the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, butter, and salt until smooth

~ drizzle the warm scones with the glaze

~ serve warm or at room temperature.

Moroccan Carrot-Chickpea Salad

The salad days of summer:  little time and tons of activities.  I found this recipe while flipping through Rachel Rays Magazine.  Talk about visual overload, her magazine appears to be on steroids.

 Moroccan Carrot-Chickpea Salad

 from Rachel Ray's Magazine
adapted

1 lemon, juiced and zested

1-teaspoon coriander powder

1/8-teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1/4-cup olive oil, extra virgin

20 ounces carrots, coarsely grated

2 (15 ounce) cans chickpeas, rinsed

1/2 cup cashews, roasted unsalted chopped

1/3-cup cilantro leaf, chopped

1/3-cup mint leaf, chopped

~ in a large bowl, combine the lemon zest, juice, coriander, cayenne and salt

~ whisk in the olive oil

~ stir in the carrots, chickpeas, cashews, cilantro and mint

~ toss to coat. Let stand at least 5 minutes.

from our garden: lemon,cilantro and mint

Lao-Style Chicken Baguette Sandwiches

 

Robotics, dance class, library program and Target's 90% of summer sale, oh my!  So when I spotted this recipe, I thought of Food TV Great Food Truck Race and the Nom Nom truck.

The recipe calls for watercress but my one stop shop didn't have it so I opted for baby arugula and fearful of the spiciness I eyed the ingredient for the Chile-Garlic sauce.

First question as they sat down, "What is in it? Take out the tomatoes".  "But I just picked the tomatoes from our garden."  Another one agrees to try it as is and the third on demands that she makes her own sandwich.  Sold after the first bite.  "Yum", cried out in unison.  "I want more sauce."  "My stomach is dancing!!!"

 

Lao-Style Chicken Baguette Sandwiches with Watercress

from Sebastien Rubis

adapted

 Chile-Garlic Sauce

1/8 cup grapeseed oil

1 large shallot, thinly sliced and separated into rings

3 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger

1/8 cup Korean coarse red pepper powder (I used chili pepper powder)

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

~ heat a small skillet over moderate heat

~ add the oil

~ add the shallot rings and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes

~ with a slotted spoon, transfer the shallot rings to a bowl

~ add the garlic to the hot oil and cook over moderately low heat, stirring a few times, until golden, about 1 minute

~ with a slotted spoon, transfer the garlic to the bowl

~ add the ginger to the skillet and cook until fragrant, 2 minutes

~ add the red pepper powder and sugar and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds

~ scrape the sauce into the bowl

~ stir in the fish sauce

sandwich

1-tablespoon vegetable oil

2 boneless chicken breast halves, (6 ounces each)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Chile-Garlic Sauce

Four 6-inch lengths of baguette, split and toasted

Mayonnaise

1 small bunch baby organic argula

2 medium organic tomatoes, sliced

1 cup coarsely shredded organic carrots

~ heat a medium skillet

~ heat the oil

~ season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper and add them to the skillet, skin side down. Cook over moderately high heat until 4 minutes

~ reduce the heat to moderate

~ turn the chicken breasts over and cook until white throughout, about 5 minutes longer

~ transfer the chicken breasts to a carving board and let rest for 5 minutes  

~ slice the chicken crosswise 1/3 inch thick

~ spread the chile-garlic sauce on the cut sides of the baguettes and spread mayonnaise on top 

~ fill the sandwiches with the arugula, chicken, tomatoes and carrots and serve  

Apple Turnovers

As I was making this time consuming delight, I thought to myself  Trader Joe's puff pastry would be the fast and easy way.  However, I must learn pastry so I trudged on.  The final verdict, very tasty - needed more sugar on top - too much dough in the corners, so I adjusted the recipe.  We did like the apple juices as the wash.  It gave a tang to the crust and I hate eggs so, when ever I can I avoid and replace.  They all requested this fine recipe again.

 Apple Turnover
from Rose Levy Beranbaum
The Pie and Pastry Bible
adapted

Pastry for a two-crust 9-inch pie

 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold

2 1/4 cups + 2 tablespoons pastry flour or 2 1/4 cups (dip and sweep method) bleached all-purpose flour

1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon salt (for savory recipes, use 1 1/2 times the salt)

5 to 7 tablespoons ice water

1 tablespoon cider vinegar Optional

1/4 teaspoon baking powder (if not using, double the salt)

preparation

~ divide the butter into two parts, about two thirds to one third:

~ 4.5 ounces and 2.5 ounces (9 tablespoons and 5 tablespoons)

~ cut the butter into 3/4-inch cubes

~ wrap each portion of butter with plastic wrap, refrigerate the larger amount and freeze  the smaller for at least 30 minutes

~ place the flour, salt, and baking powder in a reclosable gallon-size freezer bag and freeze for at least 30 minutes.

Food processor method:

~ place the flour mixture in a food processor with the metal blade and process for a few seconds to combine

~ set the bag aside

~ add the larger amount of butter cubes to the flour and process for about 20 seconds or until the mixture resembles coarse meal

~ add the remaining frozen butter cubes and pulse until all of the frozen butter is the size of peas. (Toss with a fork to see it better.)

~ add the lowest amount of the ice water and the vinegar and pulse 6 times

 ~ pinch a small amount of the mixture together between your fingers

~ if it does not hold together, add half the remaining water and pulse 3 times

 ~ try pinching the mixture again. If necessary, add the remaining water, pulsing 3 times to incorporate it

~ the mixture will be in particles and will not hold together without being pinched.

~spoon the mixture into the plastic bag

~ holding both ends of the bag opening with you fingers, knead the mixture by alternately pressing it, from the outside of the bag, with the knuckles and heels of your hands until the mixture holds together in one piece and feels slightly stretchy when pulled

~ wrap the dough with plastic wrap, flatten it into a disc (or discs) and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes, preferably overnight

Store:

Refrigerated, up to 2 days; frozen, up to 3 months.

Apple Turnover

14 oz organic apples - cored, peeled and cut into bit size pieces

¼ cup (50 grams) sugar

1 ¾ t non-modified gmo free cornstarch

1t lemon zest

2t fresh squeezed lemon juice

1t ground cinnamon

pinch of sea salt

1 T unsalted butter

½ t vanilla extract

Muscovado sugar

~ in a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and salt and toss to mix

~ allow the mixture to sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours

~ transfer the fruit to a colander suspended over a microwave safe bowl to catch the liquid

~ add the butter to the bowl with the liquid and microwave 2 minutes on high heat

~ cool 10 minutes

~ add vanilla extract to cooled liquid

~ toss the fruit with the cornstarch

~ pour the liquid over the apples and toss

~ divide the dough into 10 equal pieces (50 grams each)

~ flour your surface and the top of dough

~ roll our each piece 1/8 inch 

~ cut into a circle ( my triangles had too much dough on the corners)

~ place apple pieces in the middle of circle (do not discard excess liquid)

~ seal boarder with your finger or pastry wheel

~ place turnovers on a parchment lined baking sheet

~ refrigerate  1 hour or freeze 30 minutes

~ preheat oven with baking stone 20 minutes before baking 

~ oven rack on lowest position

~ brush turnovers with excess apple liquid

~ sprinkle with sugar

~ cut steam vent on top of each turnover

~ bake 20 to 30 minutes

~ eat warm

for full pie dough method see epicurious

from our garden: apples