This is my first full week back in North Carolina after spending the entire summer in Maine. It’s entirely disorienting to enter my house and have an empty refrigerator and freezer. Me, with an empty refrigerator? Something needed to be done.
But so many other things crowded for my attention. My two young children started preschool, so there are forms to fill out, new schedules, teary drop-offs. My son started climbing out of his crib during naptime, which means we’re re-reading parenting books that I mistakenly hoped and believed were no longer needed. All the while, I must carve out time for the writing and editing work that pays the bills. And somewhere in there I try to find time each day to go to the gym or take a long run. Flaky apple turnovers didn’t have a chance.
Or so it seemed. But that empty refrigerator nagged at me. First, I broke down and made my favorite recipe for whoopie pies (a final farewell to Maine). The whoopie pies looked lonely, so I decided the apple turnovers would keep them in good company. I pulled together the dough and let it sit overnight. The next day, once the turnovers were in the oven, I started a biga for Peter Reinhart’s pugliese bread. Then, I made pita bread. And then Dorie’s chocolate chunkers. (These were just the side projects, in addition to the usual routine of getting dinner on the table every night.) It was a classic case of baking therapy. I didn’t have time to make these things, but I needed the house to feel like it was mine again. It worked.
These apple turnovers are sort of a blur, squeezed in amidst all the other baking adventures of this week. The highlight was filling each turnover alongside my 4-year-old daughter, Sofia. We tried all kinds of fillings: cinnamon apple, raspberry jam, lingonberry jam (impulse buy from IKEA), rum raisin, and nutella. Sofia chose her own filling — marshmallows and milk chocolate. Weird, but perfect for a little baker-in-training. For my money, the cinnamon apple and rum raisin were clear winners.
Thanks to Julie of Someone’s in the Kitchen for choosing apple turnovers. My freezer looks acceptably bountiful again. You can find the recipe on her blog or pp. 316-317 of Baking: From My Home to Yours.
Oh my, that icing makes me want to reach in the picture and take a bite. I’m an icing fanatic as you can see by all the iced cookies on my blog. Gorgeous!
Oh, the blessing of a full freezer. Sounds like you’re set for Fall.
Mmmm I think I’d LOVE Sophia’s filling! Marshmallows and milk chocolate?! Brilliant!
What a wonderful line: “I needed the house to feel like it was mine again.” Beautiful, and so true. We all want — and need — to put our own stamp on the places and people around us. Great post.
The baking with your daughter sounds wonderful. My youngest like to help me, too. Your turnovers turned out just lovely, as did this post.
I like all of the combinations that you used, but I think that Sofia’s sounds fantastic. There’s just something about that whole chocolate and marshmallow combination that makes me weak in the knees. I’m so impressed with all of your baking while keeping up with your busy schedule.
Whew! Glad the freezer is full once again. Great flavor combos! Thanks for baking with me!
Maybe your son is climbing out of his crib at naptime because the smell of flaky apple turnovers baking is luring him down to the kitchen. I mean, who can stay in a crib when it’s apple turnover time? Not me.
All your combinations sound good! I’m glad to hear that your baking therapy worked and that you’re feeling like yourself again.
My, My!! You were busy after your vacation. Now you will need another one. HeeHee.
Everything sounds delicious and the turnovers look wonderful.
I would love to spend the summer in Maine. Your turnovers look wonderful!
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i loved these pics