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Filled with a spiced poached apple-raisin compote, these flaky puff pastry chaussons aux pommes (apple turnovers) offer a delicious addition to any brunch or breakfast spread. They also make a lovely dessert!
What Are Chaussons Aux Pommes?
In Intermediate Pâtisserie, we learned to make chaussons aux poires (pear turnovers) during a demonstration on puff pastry. However, during the demonstration 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 chaussons aux pommes.
Chaussons aux pommes (“apple turnovers,” in English) feature an apple filling encased in flaky puff pastry, and they’re delightfully easy to make. I start by preparing a homemade apple-raisin compote, made from apples poached in a spiced poaching syrup. Then, I spooned the apple filling on top of discs of store-bought puff pastry and fold the dough to encase the fruit mixture, creating the classic triangular shape of a turnover. Finally, I sealed the edges, egg wash the tops of the pastries, and bake in the oven until flaky and golden brown.
The combination of buttery pastry and warm, spiced fruit filling makes these simple apple turnovers downright irresistible.
When to Enjoy a Chaussons Pastry:
- Serve warm chaussons aux pommes as part of a breakfast or brunch spread.
- Eat for lunch alongside soup or salad.
- Enjoy as an afternoon snack. (They’re hand-held and portable, with no utensils required.)
- Plate up chaussons aux pommes for a simple dessert, accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream and/or a drizzle of caramel sauce. (Whipped cream would also be lovely!)
Tools and Ingredients for Making Chaussons aux Pommes
This recipe begins with pre-made puff pastry, so these apple turnovers are fast and easy to make. (Of course if you’re feeling adventurous, you can also make your own puff pastry.) I always keep a few rolls of puff pastry in my freezer. It’s fantastic for so many recipes, including hand pies, pithiviers, and cheese twists.
You’ll need a few basic tools for this recipe, including a half-sheet rimmed baking tray, a pastry brush, a large stock pot, and a round metal cutter. You’ll also need baking parchment to line your tray, and to make a cartouche for covering the saucepan. Read on for instructions.
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:
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
Apple turnovers are best enjoyed on the day they are made, ideally while still 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.
Chaussons aux pommes can also be frozen in an airtight container, layered between sheets of parchment, then thawed and warmed in a toaster oven, or for 5-10 minutes at 350° F / 276° C in a traditional 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!
Chaussons aux Pommes (Apple Turnovers)
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 8-10 chaussons 1x
Description
A recipe for chaussons aux pommes (apple turnovers) featuring flaky puff pastry and a spiced poached apple-raisin compote filling.
Ingredients
Apple-Raisin Compote:
2 apples (cored and quartered)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
50 grams golden raisins (1/3 cup)
Poaching Syrup:
300 milliliters water (1 1/3 cups)
105 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
1 cinnamon stick
Zest and juice of one lemon
1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
Pastry:
1 sheet pre-made puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
Preheat oven to 200° C / 390° F. Line a rimmed baking tray with parchment.
Core and quarter the apples, then toss in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, setting the rest aside for the poaching syrup.
In a large saucepan, combine the water, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and spices. Bring to a boil and allow the sugar to dissolve.
When sugar has dissolved, turn heat down and add the quartered apples.
Add a cartouche (see recipe notes below) over the top of the pan.
Simmer over low-medium heat until apples are nicely poached, about 30 minutes. Apples should be fork-tender but should not fall apart.
When poached, drain the apples and set aside to cool. The apples should be completely cool before proceeding to the next step. You can put them in the fridge to speed up the process.
When cool, dice the poached apples and toss with the golden raisins.
Unroll puff pastry. With a round metal cutter, cut the pastry into 4-inch / 10-centimeter discs. You should be able to cut about 8-10 discs, depending on the size of your pastry sheet.
Transfer discs to prepared baking tray. Spoon compote onto half of each disc, then use a pastry brush to brush the edges with egg wash.
Fold the pastry over the apple compote to create a crescent moon shape. Use your fingertips to gently seal the edges.
With a pastry brush, brush tops of each turnover with egg wash
Use a fork to 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.
Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until pastries are flaky and deeply golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool before serving.
Apple turnovers are best enjoyed on the day they are made. Turnovers can also be frozen in an airtight container between layers of parchment, then thawed and gently rewarmed for 5-10 minutes in a 350° F oven prior to serving.
Notes
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.
I used sultanas (golden raisins) for this recipe, but any type of raisins, or another dried fruit like cranberries or mixed peel, will work. You can also add toasted nuts if desired.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Turnovers and Hand Pies
- Method: Stovetop + Oven
- Cuisine: French
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