Apple Empanadas With Almond Pastry Cream Food

PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Stir together the milk, salt, vanilla bean and seeds and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a medium saucepan until smooth. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until the sugar has just dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk together the cornstarch, egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a large bowl until smooth. While continually whisking, slowly pour in about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture. Continue to whisk until smooth. (This is called tempering, and it will prevent the yolks from scrambling.) Continue whisking and adding 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture at a time until completely combined and smooth.
• Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and turn the heat to medium. Cook, whisking constantly, until thickened and the texture of pudding, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat, then whisk in the butter until smooth and glossy. Remove the vanilla bean.
• Strain the pastry cream through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the pastry cream, and refrigerate until chilled through, at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Before serving, whisk the pastry cream until smooth and fluffy.

APPLE EMPANADAS WITH ALMOND PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples and saute until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and toss. Continue cooking the apples, stirring occasionally, until the apples break down easily when pressed with a fork, an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and mash them with a fork while they are still warm, it should look like a chunky applesauce. Allow the apples to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, fold 1/4 cup of the Almond Pastry Cream into the cooled apples and set aside.
• On a floured work surface, lay out the puff pastry sheets. Using a large (4 1/2-inch) circular biscuit cutter (or cookie cutter) cut 4 large circles per sheet, 8 all together.
• On the bottom half of each of the rounds, spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of the apple mixture. Brush the edges of each circle with some egg wash. Fold the pastry dough over the filling, seal the edges with your fingers and then crimp them with the tines of a fork. Repeat with remaining pastry dough and filling. When all the pies are assembled, vent each one with 2 small slits, using a paring knife, on the top of each pie. Brush each one with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Transfer the empanadas to the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the pies until they have puffed and are golden brown, about 20 minutes. When the pies come out of the oven, spoon more of the Almond Pastry Cream over them and serve.
• Almond Pastry Cream:.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the whole milk, sugar, almond paste and salt. Whisk over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks and cornstarch. Whisk until combined and the mixture is creamy and thick. Remove the milk mixture from the heat and slowly add 1/4 cup of the milk liquid to the eggs, whisking constantly. Add the now-tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk and return the milk to a simmer for 3 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until it is fully incorporated. If desired, strain the pastry cream through a sieve. Pour the mixture into a bowl to cool. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Allow the cream to cool completely in the refrigerator until cold and set, at least 2 hours.

APPLE SAUCE EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Add the flour, sugar and salt to a food processor and pulse to mix. Add the butter and process until the mixture resembles wet sand. Add the cream cheese and pulse until the dough comes together in large clumps. Place the dough on a floured surface and gently knead two or three times, just enough to incorporate the cream cheese. Form the dough into an oval disk, place in a plastic bag and chill, 15 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roll the dough into a rectangle, about 15-by-10-inches. Cut the dough with a sharp knife into 6 squares, about 5-inches each.
• Beat 1 teaspoon water and the egg in a small bowl, to make an egg wash.
• Fill each dough square with about 2 teaspoons applesauce. Use your fingertips to moisten the dough edges with a little water. Fold the dough over to create a triangle. Use your fingers to press the dough gently together, then crimp the seal with a fork. Brush the tops of the triangles with the egg wash. Sprinkle the egg washed-tops with the cinnamon sugar. Place the triangles on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake until the triangles are golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• Be careful, the filling will be hot, so cool the empanadas about 15 minutes before eating.

APPLE EMPANADAS WITH ALMOND PASTRY CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the apples and saute until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and salt and toss. Continue cooking the apples, stirring occasionally, until the apples break down easily when pressed with a fork, an additional 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and mash them with a fork while they are still warm, it should look like a chunky applesauce. Allow the apples to cool to room temperature. Once cooled, fold 1/4 cup of the Almond Pastry Cream into the cooled apples and set aside.
• On a floured work surface, lay out the puff pastry sheets. Using a large (4 1/2-inch) circular biscuit cutter (or cookie cutter) cut 4 large circles per sheet, 8 all together.
• On the bottom half of each of the rounds, spoon 2 heaping tablespoons of the apple mixture. Brush the edges of each circle with some egg wash. Fold the pastry dough over the filling, seal the edges with your fingers and then crimp them with the tines of a fork. Repeat with remaining pastry dough and filling. When all the pies are assembled, vent each one with 2 small slits, using a paring knife, on the top of each pie. Brush each one with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Transfer the empanadas to the prepared baking sheet.
• Bake the pies until they have puffed and are golden brown, about 20 minutes. When the pies come out of the oven, spoon more of the Almond Pastry Cream over them and serve.
• In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the whole milk, sugar, almond paste and salt. Whisk over medium heat and bring to a simmer.
• In a small mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks and cornstarch. Whisk until combined and the mixture is creamy and thick. Remove the milk mixture from the heat and slowly add 1/4 cup of the milk liquid to the eggs, whisking constantly. Add the now-tempered egg mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the milk and return the milk to a simmer for 3 minutes, whisking constantly, until thickened.
• Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking until it is fully incorporated. If desired, strain the pastry cream through a sieve. Pour the mixture into a bowl to cool. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming. Allow the cream to cool completely in the refrigerator until cold and set, at least 2 hours.

APPLE EMPANADAS

Steps:

• Pastry:.
• In a medium bowl, mix flour and salt; cut in shortening until crumbly. Stir in water until completely moistened. Divide pastry into 2 equal portions. Roll out each portion thinner than you would for pie crust. Cut into circles with a 3-1/2" biscuit or cookie cutter.
• Apple filling:.
• In a medium saucepan, simmer diced apples, cider, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg over low heat until apples are soft. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch with enough water to form a thin consistency; stir into apple mixture and cook until mixture thickens.
• Assembly and cooking:.
• Brush pastry circles with beaten egg. Place a small spoonful of apple mixture in center of each circle. Fold pastry over filling to form a half circle. Press edges together with a fork to seal.
• Heat 1 cup of cooking oil to 400 degrees in an electric skillet. Place several empanadas in hot oil at a time, cooking on one side, and turning over when golden brown. Cook second side until golden brown. Remove and drain on paper towels.
• Sprinkle tops of empanadas with cinnamon and sugar mixture.