Empanadas – Fruit Based

This is a recipe for an apple stuffing fruit based pastry. Like any dough based pastry, it is best if you make the dough one day in advance and stuff the empanadas a minimum of 1 hour prior to baking. While any fruit can be used, apple is traditional.

  1. Empanada Dough Ingredients – makes 12
    • 3 cups flour (423g)
    • 3 TBL sugar (37g)
    • 3/4 tsp fine sea salt (6.2g)
    • 4 oz butter cold/sliced – can use lard if old school
    • 1 large egg, beaten
    • 1 cup buttermilk
    • Optional 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract (5g)
  2. Dough Making Process
    1. Put flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor and pulse until mixed.
    2. Add butter chunks and pulse 10 to 15 times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
    3. Put mixture in a bowl.
    4. Add the beaten egg, stirring gently with a fork.
    5. Add buttermilk and stir gently until it all comes together.
    6. Roll dough onto a parchment paper or silplat. Cover the dough with film to roll without sticking to the roller.
    7. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but preferably overnight.
    8. Cut dough into 4 inch disks and keep in frig until stuffed.

Prepare Fruit Stuffing

  1. Ingredients for Apple/Berry Stuffing
    • 16oz Apples – peeled, cored, and sliced (or any fruit)
    • 16 oz Berries – blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
    • 2 TBL lemon juice
    • 1 tsp cornstarch
  2. Ingredients for Apple Cinnamon Stuffing
    • 4 to 5 firm apples (I like Fuji but others say green apples)
    • 2 TBL butter
    • 1/2 cup sugar
    • 1/4 cup brown sugar
    • 2 tsp cinnamon
    • Pinch of salt
    • 2 TBL cornstarch
    • Optional: 3 TBL dulce de leche
  3. Process for Preparing Fruit Stuffing
    1. Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring until the mixture has thickened slightly.
    2. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.

Assemble and Bake

  1. Cut dough into a series of 4 inch discs. Doing one disk at a time, cover with film and roll into larger disk.
  2. Place filling on the center of disc.
  3. Fold the discs and gently seal the edges with your fingers. You can use a fork or knife to press down on the edges.
  4. If possible, refrigerate the empanadas for an hour to help better seal and prevent leaking when you cook. It’s best if you assemble the day before baking.
  5. Pre-heat the oven to 325 deg. F fan or 350F conventional for medium sized empanadas, or 300F fan for smaller empanadas.
  6. Place the empanadas on a parchment or silplat lined baking sheet.
  7. Whisked 1 egg with 1 tsp water.
  8. Brush empanadas with the egg wash to provide golden sheen once baked.
  9. Sprinkle with sugar on top of the egg wash
  10. Bake for ~20 minutes, or until golden on top.
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