Chaussons aux Pommes (Apple Turnovers)

Traditional French chaussons aux pommes featuring a poached apple raisin compote wrapped inside flaky, sugary puff pastry and baked in the oven until flaky and golden brown. Best served warm, these apple turnovers make a lovely addition to any brunch or breakfast spread. Or, pair with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream for a rustic dessert!

What Inspired This Chaussons aux Pommes Recipe?

In Intermediate Pâtisserie at Le Cordon Bleu London we learned to make chaussons aux poires (pear turnovers) during a demonstration on puff pastry. However, during the demo the teaching chef mentioned that in France, chaussons are traditionally made with apples. And luckily, while I don’t often keep pears on hand, I do usually have a few apples in the fruit bowl. Which means I often find myself baking up a batch of these rustic treats.

Chaussons aux pommes (“apple turnovers,” as they’re known in English) feature an apple filling encased in puff pastry. They’re delightfully easy to make, especially if you begin with a store-bought sheet of puff pastry, as I usually do, and the combination of buttery pastry and warm, spiced fruit filling makes these simple apple turnovers downright irresistible.

Chaussons aux Pommes Ingredients

• Apples – I prefer to make my chaussons aux pommes with a tart green apple, such as Granny Smith, which contrasts nicely with the sweet syrup. Wash, core, and quarter the apples before preparing the poaching syrup.
• Lemon – Lemon zest and juice add a touch of acid to the spicy-sweet poaching syrup. For optimal texture, finely zest the lemon on a Microplane, rather than a box grater like you’d use for a block of cheese.
• Granulated Sugar – Granulated sugar adds sweetness, and helps to thicken the apple compote. You can replace the granulated sugar with another fine white sugar, but I don’t recommend reducing the amount.
• Fresh Ginger – You will need about 25 grams, or a thumb-sized piece. (No need to peel—just pop it in the pan whole!) And if you have some extra ginger, save it to make your own ginger simple syrup, or homemade candied ginger.
• Cinnamon – I used one 6-inch cinnamon stick. If your sticks are smaller, or if you just really like cinnamon, you can add a second stick for a more pronounced cinnamon flavor. Save the rest of the jar to make a simmer pot!

• Ground Spices – Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves create the autumn-inspired spice blend for the compote. You can also add 1/8 teaspoon of allspice or ground cardamom, if desired, or a pinch of homemade mixed spice.
• Raisins – I used black raisins, but sultanas, dried cranberries, or mixed peel will also work.
• Puff Pastry – I usually make chaussons aux pommes, and other puff pastry treats like tarts, hand pies, and cheese straws, with store-bought puff pastry, simply for convenience. I always keep a few rolls of puff pastry in my fridge or freezer. (One of the first things I learned in pastry school is that even fancy restaurants often buy commercially-made puff pastry!) Feel free to make your own puff pastry from scratch, if you have the time to do so.
• Egg Yolk – Using only the egg yolk gives the pastry a darker, deeper color. (Save the whites to make another French classic—macarons!) You can use whole beaten egg for a lighter shade.
• Demerara Sugar – I sprinkled the unbaked pastries with Demerara sugar for a crunchy finishing touch. (If you can’t find Demerara, use turbinado, sanding sugar, or Sugar in the Raw instead.) Optional, but I love the sweet crunch!

Making the Cartouche

A cartouche is a parchment circle placed over top of a simmering stew, sauce, or compote to help prevent evaporation. To make a cartouche, begin by cutting a circle of parchment just slightly larger than the opening of your saucepan:

Then, fold the parchment into a square, snip the corner, and round the edges, as though you’re making a paper snowflake. The small hole in the middle allows steam to escape while the compote simmers:

Place the finished cartouche over the saucepan, as per the recipe below:

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Apple Turnovers (Chaussons aux Pommes)

Recipe by becky

• Total Time1 hour 40 minutes
• Yield8-10 4-inch turnovers 1x

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An apple turnover recipe featuring flaky puff pastry and a spiced poached apple-raisin compote filling.

Ingredients

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Apples:

2 Granny Smith apples, cored and quartered
15 milliliters lemon juice (1 tablespoon; juice of 1/2 lemon)

Poaching Syrup:

300 milliliters water (1 1/3 cups)
100 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
25 grams fresh ginger (thumb-sized piece), whole or chopped*
1 6-inch cinnamon stick, or 2 shorter sticks
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
50 grams raisins, golden raisins, or sultanas (1/3 cup)

Assembly:

1 sheet puff pastry
1 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
Demerara sugar, for sprinkling

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Instructions

Toss the quartered apples in 1 tablespoon lemon juice.

In a large stock pot, combine water, sugar, ginger, cinnamon stick, lemon juice, lemon zest, and ground spices. Bring to a boil and allow the sugar to dissolve.

Reduce heat to medium-low and add the quartered apples.

Place a cartouche** over the pot, allowing it to touch the apples.

Simmer over medium-low heat until apples poach, about 20-25 minutes. Apples should be very soft and fork-tender.

Pass through a fine mesh strainer to drain. Discard cinnamon sticks and ginger. Transfer poached apples to a bowl and set aside to cool, about 30 minutes.

With a sharp chef’s knife, dice poached apples into 1/2-inch pieces. Toss with the raisins.

Preheat oven to 400° F (205° C). Line a half-sheet rimmed tray with parchment or a silicone mat.

Unroll pastry on a silicone rolling mat or lightly floured countertop. Depending on the size of the pastry sheet you’ve chosen, you might need to use a rolling pin to roll the pastry a few inches wider. It should be big enough to accommodate at least eight 4-inch discs.

With a 4-inch or 4 1/2-inch round metal cutter, cut the pastry into discs. You should have 8-10 total.

Arrange on prepared tray.

Spoon compote, dividing it evenly among the discs of pastry. With a pastry brush, apply beaten egg in a thin strip around the outer edge of each disc.

Fold the pastry over the apple compote to create a crescent moon shape. Use your fingertips to gently seal the edges.

With a fork, crimp along the sealed edge. (Alternatively, you can use the back of a knife to create a decorative scalloped edge.)  If desired, use the back of a paring knife to score a design into the top of each pastry. You can also skip this step if you prefer a more minimalist look.

With a pastry brush, brush the top of each apple turnover with egg wash.

Sprinkle generously with Demerara sugar.

Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until flaky and deeply golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool briefly before serving.

Apple turnovers are best enjoyed on the day they are made. Serve warm, accompanied by vanilla ice cream.

 

Equipment

half sheet baking tray

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pastry brush

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round metal cutter

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Notes

*I usually toss the ginger in whole, peel and all. If desired, you can peel and chop the ginger. Either way works, since you’ll strain the apples after poaching.

**A cartouche is a parchment circle placed over top of a simmering stew, sauce, or compote to help prevent evaporation. See the post above for step-by-step instructions for making a cartouche.

• Prep Time: 45 minutes
• Poaching Time: 30 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Turnovers and Hand Pies
• Method: Stovetop + Oven
• Cuisine: French

Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions

Apple turnovers are best enjoyed on the day they are made, ideally while still slightly warm. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Layer leftover pastries between sheets of parchment to prevent them from sticking together.

To freeze: Arrange in an airtight container, layered between sheets of parchment. Thaw at room temperature. Eat cold, or re-warm for 5-10 minutes at 350° F (175° C) in a traditional oven or a toaster oven.

More Turnover and Hand Pie Recipes You Might Enjoy

Peach and Ginger Hand Pies
Blueberry, Peach, and Walnut Hand Pies
Nutella-Stuffed Wreaths
Mixed Berry Breakfast Pastries

And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!