Apple and Almond Turnovers

Place a saucepan over a medium heat and add the unsalted butter.

Once melted, add the apple pieces and cook until the have softened, normally around 5 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid it catching.

Once soft, reduce the heat to low and add the cinnamon, sugar and salt and cook for 3 – 4 minutes or until the apples are caramelised.

Turn off the heat and put to one side to cool.

Lightly dust a work surface with flour and place one of the sheets of pastry. Using a floured rolling pin roll the pastry until it is level in height and 12x12 inches.

Using a sharp knife cut the pastry into quarters. Each piece will become an Apple Almond Pastry.

Spoon the cold apple filling onto on half of each of the pastry going from one corner diagonally to the other leaving a border of about ½ inch/12mm. In effect you are filling a triangle of the square as the other triangle half will be folded over the filling to form the pastry shape.

Add the egg and a tbsp of tap water and beat to mix. Use the egg mixture to lightly brush along the border and fold the pastry over the filling and gently press down so the borders of top and bottom meet. Use a fork to gently crimp the edges creating a better seal.

Repeat with the remaining quarters and then repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry.

Line a baking tray or two with greaseproof/parchment paper and place the completed pastries leaving at least an inch between them. Using a very sharp knife make 2 incisions in the top of each pastry for steam to escape.

Pop the pastries into the fridge to chill for 15 minutes. This helps prevent them from splitting.

Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6.

When ready to cook and the oven has reached temperature, place the tray(s) into the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until the pastry has risen and turned golden brown.

Remove from the oven and put to one side for now.

In a small bowl add the powdered sugar and a tbsp of the cream at a time and stir until it has thickened. Drizzle of the still warm pastries and then sprinkle almonds. As the sugar sets, the almonds will stick to the pastry.