Apple and Cheddar Turnovers

I have a serious affinity for cheese. I love all kinds, and matching specific cheeses with a complimentary flavor can make for delicious treats. I have finally made it home to Connecticut for the holidays and decided that I best make use of some of the remaining apples from the harvest this autumn. And since the flavors of apples and cheddar cheese compliment each other so well, I made apple turnovers with a white-cheddar-infused crust. The subtle flavor of cheddar cheese sneaks up on you, and is a delightful surprise in these flavor packed desserts!

Some people have very strong feelings about baking and eating apples being mutually exclusive. I feel as if this distinction doesn’t have to be quite so rigid. There are certainly some varieties that are better for either baking or eating, but the bottom line is you can probably use whatever you have around, as long as they are of a similar texture and consistency. As long as your apples are equally hard or soft (however you want to look at it) they will bake evenly in your crust.

Apple and Cheddar Turnovers

For Crust:

3/4 cup butter (salted)

2 cups flour

6 Tbsp cold water

1/2 cup shredded white cheddar cheese

For Filling:

5 large apples (I used a mixture of Macs, Empires, and Golden Delicious)

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp white sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp nutmeg

About 1/2 cup shredded cheddar

Egg Wash:

1 one

1 Tbsp water

1 Tbsp milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To begin the crust cut the butter and cheese into the flour with a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Then slowly add in the water, one tablespoon at a time until the mixture comes together. Form the dough into a disk and set aside. Core and peel your apples. Use the largest side of a 4-sided grater to cut your apples into very thin slices. Add the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to the mixture. Cut your dough into 8 equal segments. Roll each segment into a 6-7 inch circle making sure to thoroughly flour your rolling pin and surface. Pile a generous amount of the apple mixture on one side of each of the circles and cover with some extra shredded cheddar. Take a pastry brush and apply water to the circumference of the dough and then fold in half to create a half moon shape. Press edges together with the teeth of a fork and set on a baking sheet that has been lined with either a silicon-baking sheet or parchment paper. After all of the turnovers have been assembled, make the egg wash by combining the ingredients and beating them together. Brush the outside of the turnovers with the egg wash and then sprinkle with a gentle dusting of cheese. Bake in the oven until golden brown (about 25 minutes).