Miniature Apple Granola Turnovers with Maple Glaze

Welcome to my new favorite cutie-pie dessert. It's subject to change at any moment, but for now, you're looking at the current apple of my eye. I've been yearning to make an apple turnover, but as with caramel apples, I didn't want to commit to a giant portion by taking that first bite. By making itty bitty ones, I planned to save myself from plunging headlong into a greedy display of full-sized gluttony.

But I also wasn't planning on them being so doggone delicious. How was I to know?

The apples and cinnamon give them that homey-fall flavor, plus you'll get some crunch from the granola, all encased in layers of buttery flakiness and crowned with a sweet maple glaze. And I'm pretty certain, ahem, that scientific studies, ahem, assert that miniature foods have exactly 1/100th the calories of their full sized counter parts, tut,tut. So, put them on your weekend menu for dessert...or a snack....or breakfast.

They're so easy to make too, dangerously easy, since nothing can stop me from having another batch in the oven in ten minutes. You'll need a box of frozen puff pastry, and don't be afraid if you haven't tried it! It's handy, tasty, and saves my hide all the time when guests pop by. It converts into meals, appetizers, and desserts quicker than you can say, "Puff pastry makes my knees shake." If you can cut a piece of paper in half, you can work with puff pastry.

Have a great weekend, everybody. Now go plunge headlong into your own greedy display of miniature apple turn-over gluttony. Isn't that what weekends are for? Money Saving Tips: With the holidays around the corner, look for puff pastry to go on sale; then stock up when it does. I try to find it for about $2.00 a box. It will be located near the frozen pie crusts. Swap out the granola for nuts if you've got some on hand. Any apple will work well here.
Miniature Granola Apple Turnovers with Maple Glaze
Estimated Cost: $4.50 for 16 turnovers
1/2 of a 17 ounce box of frozen puff pastry, thawed
2 small apples, peeled and diced
squeeze of lemon
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
about 1/2 cup granola (I used my homemade recipe)
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon maple syrup, or 1/2 teaspoon maple extract
1/2 to 1 cup powdered sugar
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a large cookie sheet. On a flat surface, roll puff pastry out to 12 by 12 inch triangle. Cut in half lengthwise and width wise to form four squares. Cut each new square lengthwise and width wise into four small squares; you should have 16 squares in all. In a small bowl, combine apple, lemon, sugar, and cinnamon. Place about 1 heaping teaspoon into center of square. Sprinkle with about 1 scant teaspoon granola. Fold square over to form triangle. Pinch together a little, to help it stay closed in places. (I like mine to come open and show the filling.) Repeat with all 16 turnovers and place them on cookie sheet together. They won't spread so you can fit them all on. Bake for 12-18 minutes, or until puff pastry is nicely browned. Remove from oven. Let cool for 3 minutes on cookie sheet. Transfer to rack. Meanwhile, prepare glaze by combining butter and syrup. Stir in powdered sugar to form a thick glaze. Drizzle glaze over warm turnovers and sprinkle with granola. Serve warm if possible, but room temperature is delicious also.
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