Pumpkin Pasties Turnovers Food

EASY PUMPKIN TURNOVERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Combine the pumpkin puree with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and egg yolk (save the egg white for later).
• Working with one sheet of puff pastry at a time, cut each sheet into 4 pieces.
• Brush the two sides of the puff pastry with the egg white. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the pumpkin puree into the bottom half of the pastry square.
• Fold the pastry sheet over and press the edges together with a fork.
• Repeat with remaining pastry pieces and pumpkin mixture
• Place on a baking sheet lined with a silpat.
• Brush the tops with the egg white and bake at 375 for 30 to 35 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.
• Cool 5 minutes before topping with iced cream, whipped topping, or glaze and serving.

EASY PUMPKIN TURNOVERS

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Mix pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice in a bowl.
• Roll out puff pastry into a 12x12 inch square and cut each sheet into 9 - 4 inch squares.
• Spoon pumpkin mix into center of pastry squares; wet edges of each square with water, fold over, corner to corner, and pinch edges together. Place onto prepared baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 15 minutes. Cool on the pans for 10 minutes. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

PUMPKIN PASTRIES

Steps:

• Divide the pastry into 3 (5-inch) squares about 5/8 inch thick. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 4 hours.
• To make the filling, process all of the filling ingredients in a food processor bowl until mixture is smooth and blended.
• Remove 1 pastry square from the refrigerator. Set a side for 10 minutes before rolling it. On a floured work surface, roll the pastry into a rectangle until less than 1/8-inch thick. With a ruler and a pastry wheel, trim the ragged edges and then cut the pastry into 3-inch squares. Lay the pastry squares across the top of an un-greased 12-cup miniature muffin pan, each cup measuring 1 1/2 inches across and 3/4 inch deep, centering each square over one cup. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of filling on each square, then bring opposite corners to the center and press lightly to seal. This process will also ease the pastry into each cup. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Roll and shape the remaining pastry squares in the same fashion.
• Adjust rack to lower third of oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
• Bake 2 or 3 pans at a time for about 20 to 25 minutes or until pastries are light brown. Remove pan from oven to a wire rack for about 10 minutes. Remove pastries from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Sift powdered sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle pastries before serving at room temperature. If not serving the same day, stack the pastries in airtight plastic containers and freeze for up to 2 weeks. To serve, reheat to freshen in a 325 degree preheated oven for about 7 to 12 minutes or until warm, cool slightly, and decorate with powdered sugar and cinnamon.
• Put the flour and salt in a 3-quart bowl, and stir to blend. Scatter the butter slices over the flour, and cut in with a pastry blender until the mixture consists of particles that vary in size from small peas to bread crumbs. Stir in the sour cream with a fork. The pastry will appear dry because the sour cream is thick and does not disperse easily. With your hands, manipulate dough into a ball. Divide dough as recipe directs. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 4 hours and up to 3 days. The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month.

PUMPKIN TURNOVERS

Steps:

• Make pumpkin filling:
• Rinse off the exterior of the pumpkin in cool or warm water, no soap. Using a serrated knife cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the pumpkin seeds. Scrape out the stringy layer (pulp) with a spoon. Discard seeds and pulp. Cut pumpkin into 3- to 4-inch slices leaving the skin on.
• In a steamer or large pot, steam the pumpkin in the 2 cups of water, making sure to keep the lid on tight, for 20 to 40 minutes, or until pumpkin is tender. The pumpkin is ready when your fork slides easily into the flesh.
• Let the pumpkin cool. Once cooled, scoop the pumpkin flesh off the skins and into a mixing bowl. Discard the skins. Mash the steamed pumpkin with a potato masher and strain the liquid into a bowl. Reserve the liquid and set pumpkin puree aside.
• In the same large pot, put the reserved liquid from the pumpkin (about 1/2 to 2/3 cup) and add cinnamon sticks and cloves. Bring liquid to a boil and then remove from the heat. Replace lid and let steep for 30 minutes.
• Remove cinnamon and cloves and add pumpkin puree to the liquid. Add the piloncillo and over medium-low heat let it melt into the pumpkin puree, stirring occasionally so it will not burn or stick to the pot. The pumpkin puree will turn a dark color with the piloncillo making it sweeter.
• Once the piloncillo has melted, lower the heat to low and let simmer uncovered until all the water evaporates. Remove from heat and allow pumpkin puree to cool down before refrigerating, about 15 minutes.
• To help puree set, place in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight. If some liquid separates, remove it with a spoon before using so the filling is not watery.
• You can make the empanada dough after your filling has chilled.
• Make empanada dough:
• Mix the first 3 dry ingredients. Cut in the shortening. It is best to use your hands. Add the eggs, milk, sugar, and cinnamon. Continue to work in with your hands until you have a soft dough. Split the dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Assemble and bake empanadas:
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Take out half the dough and split it into 12 equal balls of dough.
• On a floured surface, roll out the dough balls into small round circles. Place a small dollop of pumpkin filling on one half of each of the dough circles. Wet the bottom edge of the circles with water to help seal the two halves. Fold over the dough to cover filling and seal off the edges with a fork by pressing down along the edges. This also makes for a pretty pattern when baked. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Brush each empanada with some canned evaporated milk or egg whites, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar mixture. Puncture the top of each empanada with a fork to allow steam to escape while baking.
• Spray a large cookie sheet with cooking spray, place the empanadas on the cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes on middle rack in the oven. If after 15 minutes you notice the bottoms of the empanadas starting to brown, move the cookie sheet to the top rack and continue to bake for the last 5 minutes, until golden brown.
• Enjoy the empanadas warm or at room temperature. Refrigerate baked empanadas for a few days. Reheat in a toaster oven or bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.

APPLE TURNOVERS

Steps:

• Combine the lemon and 4 cups water in a large bowl. Place the sliced apples in the water to keep them from browning.
• Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Drain water from apples, and place them into the hot skillet. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Add brown sugar, and cinnamon, and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Stir together cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water. Pour into the skillet, and mix well. Cook for another minute, or until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat to cool slightly.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Unfold puff pastry sheets, and repair any cracks by pressing them back together. Trim each sheet into a square. Then cut each larger square into 4 smaller squares. Spoon apples onto the center of each squares. Fold over from corner to corner into a triangle shape, and press edges together to seal. Place turnovers on a baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between them.
• Bake for 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until turnovers are puffed and lightly browned. Cool completely before glazing.
• To make the glaze, mix together the confectioners' sugar, milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Adjust the thickness by adding more sugar or milk if necessary. Drizzle glaze over the cooled turnovers.