Easy Pie Crust Recipe ~ Plus, Making Turnovers with Leftover Crust

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Last week I broke down and made 2 pies for the freezer ~ One 9-inch and one 6-inch pie with a combo of cinnamoned peaches and a few berries tossed in for color. When the fruit is ripe, it's now or never! Will manned the boiling water bath to slip peach skins, while I tackled making pie crusts. We make a great team in the kitchen! He's always joking about being my sous chef.

Blackberry Turnover with Cream Cheese Glaze is Berry Yummy!

With the dough I had left over I made this cute, perfect for two, turnover! I was so pleased with the results. The crust was flaky, crunchy, the berries plump and juicy and the cream cheese glaze on the top . . . literally took it over the top! I say was, because sadly we ate every last crumb of it!

Pie is my favorite dessert but, after eating that turnover with the cream cheese glaze. . . It's so quick and easy to pull from the freezer brush with a little half and half, sprinkle with sugar, vent with a sharp knife, pop in the toaster oven for 25 minutes at 400F. and Voila! I think I just discovered my favorite breakfast food! Did I mention the cream cheese glaze?

Blackberry Turnover hot from the oven!

 

This pie crust is the best! It is the most manageable, easiest to work with dough I have ever made and it meets all the criteria for a flaky, flavorful crust! You will have enough dough for a 9-inch 2-crust pie and 2 turnovers.

EASY PIE CRUST ~ adapted from recipe by Kittencal

3 cups unbleached flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup butter, very cold

1/4 cup lard, very cold

1 egg yolk

7 tablespoons ice water

1 teaspoon vinegar

DIRECTIONS

• Mix flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl with a wire whisk.
• Cut butter and lard into 1/2-inch cubes, refrigerate.
• In a small bowl whisk egg yolk, vinegar and water, set aside.
• With a pastry cutter cut in cold butter and lard until the consistency of coarse crumbs OR rub butter and lard into flour with thumb and fingers.
• With a fork lightly stir the egg/water mixture into the flour mixture until moistened and dough holds together (usually it takes the full amount of water/egg mixture).
• Gather into ball then divide into 3rds.
• Cover with plastic wrap and store in the frige for 30 minutes (or dough may be frozen after the 30 minutes chilling time, just wrap first in plastic wrap and then tightly in foil, leave in frige overnight to defrost).

TURNOVERS

• Roll out dough into a 12-inch x 12-inch square, on a lightly floured surface.
• Toss 1 cup of berries with a tablespoon of flour and a tablespoon of sugar.
• Place berries on lower half of dough leaving 1 1/2 inch border.
• Brush edges of dough with water, fold dough in half, fold edges over sealing well all around.
• At this point you can place in a freezer bag, label, and date. To cook preheat oven to 400F.
• Cut 3 small vent slits in top of crust. Brush with half and half and sprinkle with sugar.
• Place on baking sheet. If frozen, DO NOT THAW.
• Cook at 400F for 20 to 25 minutes. I used my toaster oven to save on electricity and cut down on heat in my kitchen.

CREAM CHEESE GLAZE

2 tablespoons cream cheese

1 tablespoon milk

powdered sugar, add a tablespoon at a time mixing with a fork until desired consistency.

Toaster pastry move over . . . This turnover is made with only natural, wholesome ingredients!

A freezer full of these delectable beauties with assorted fruit fillings is sure to please the pie and fruit pastry lovers in your family. You can even whip up the cream cheese glaze ahead of time, place in a press and seal snack bag, snip a corner off and decorate like a toaster pastry.

I had a little extra dough left over and came up with this idea to make a berry turnover. I really had no expectations that it would taste so-ooo good. A frozen pie takes an hour to bake. One of these fruit turnovers takes 20 to 25 minutes and you've got piping hot fruit filling surrounded by a flaky pastry covered in cream cheese glaze.

This would work great when unexpected company drops by, as a special treat for the kids, a special coffee break for you and hubby, or a late night snack served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!

I already have 5 fruit pies in the freezer. These turnovers are easy to make and, don't take up a lot of space in the freezer. Our plum and apricot trees are ready to pick so, it's time to make more turnovers . . . Over at Julie's!!!

 

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