Make This Quick Fryer an Apple Turnover for Rosh Hashanah

All fruits have their season, but apples never go out of style. Whether you’re celebrating Rosh Hashanah or just want a delicious sweet apple dessert, I have an air fryer recipe that will blow your mind. It’s easy to make and looks like you got it from a bougie bakery: treat yourself to this 15-minute apple and honey flip.

I love this recipe because it has the flavor of a complex apple pie, but bakes in a fraction of the time—and it uses frozen puff pastry , which never fails me. Puff pastry is easy to work with, and if you remember one thing, it’s almost impossible to mess it up. The only thing is don’t let it get too warm. Work with the puff pastry while it is still cool but pliable to keep the puff layers intact and ensure a good rise in the oven. If your kitchen is hot, this may mean you’ll have to work on a cutting board and periodically place it in the refrigerator or freezer to harden it if it starts to spread or melt.

How to make apple turnovers

Thaw puff pastry according to package directions. This usually means leaving it in the refrigerator for a few hours, or removing the sheets and placing them on a cutting board at room temperature for about 45 minutes. Once defrosted, place them in the refrigerator until ready.

Peel, core, and cut three apples into half-inch slices. You can cut them up, but I think chunks are easier and the shape works better for this recipe. Toss the pieces into a medium saucepan with a couple tablespoons of butter and raisins. Cook over medium-low heat for about five minutes. The apples will begin to soften and the raisins will begin to swell. Do not overcook the apple slices; they need to remain whole in the middle because the air fryer will cook them later. Turn off the heat and add a tablespoon of honey. If you like spices or citrus, you can add them now. I added a pinch of cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Pour the mixture and any juices into a large bowl to cool.

Roll out a sheet of defrosted puff pastry on a lightly floured work surface. You’re going to cut it into four square quadrants, which means you need to start with a square. My puff sheet was nine and a quarter inches by eight and a half; not quite a square. If so, use a rolling pin to roll out the sheet to the desired size. Cut the sheet into four squares. Using a small pastry brush, paint a border around all four edges with egg wash . This will help keep the filling from bulging out the sides.

You’ll be folding this square from corner to corner to make a triangle, so imagine a line cutting diagonally through the middle. Spread the honey-apple filling on one side, about two tablespoons. Don’t overload it, but be generous. Pull the unfilled side over the apples until the corners touch. Press the ends first and then work down the sides until the egg-washed edges touch tightly. The dough may stretch on the filling, so give it a little stretch and leave in as many apples as possible, but it’s okay if you lose a piece.

Use the tines of a fork to press down the edges to ensure good contact. Egg the top of the turn and make a hole in the top of the dough. Repeat this until you have used all the filling. Place the revs in an air fryer preheated to 300°F on the air fry setting. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes until the tops are browned and crisp. Cool on a wire rack for a few minutes and drizzle honey on top before serving.

This recipe makes about six turns, but you can increase it to eight if you use large apples. While you could omit the raisins, I think they add a nice contrast of color and extra sweetness. (Who doesn’t want a little extra sweetness to ring in the new year?) Instead, try replacing a serving of raisins with any other dried fruit that you chop up so they’re about the same size.

Air fried apples and turnovers with honey

Ingredients:

• 1 ½–2 sheets puff pastry, thawed
• 3 apples (I used gala), peeled
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1 tablespoon honey
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon or other dry spice (optional)
• A pinch of salt
• Egg wash

Preheat air fryer to 300°F. Cut the defrosted puff pastry into four squares per sheet. If your dough sheets were not square to begin with, roll them out lightly with a rolling pin until they are square. Leave the squares in the refrigerator until the filling is ready.

Core and cut the apples into ½-inch pieces and place them in a medium saucepan with the butter and raisins. Over medium-low heat, gently cook the apples until they begin to soften and the raisins are plump. This takes about five minutes. Turn off the heat and add honey, salt and any spices. Transfer the honey apples to a bowl to cool to room temperature.

Place the puff pastry squares on a lightly floured surface and lightly egg wash all edges. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of apple filling onto half of the dough squares. Take one corner and lift it over the apple filling so that the corners touch. Stretch and work the dough on both sides until the egg mixture touches. Using a fork, press and seal the edges. Wash the top with egg and cut a hole in the top of each turn.

On the air fry setting, cook the wrappers at 300°F for 12 to 15 minutes or until browned and crisp. Cool briefly on a wire rack before serving, drizzle with honey.