Ginger Pear Turnovers are buttery, flaky pastries encasing a floral, spicy, freshly made pear and ginger filling. Mornings taste better when eating a warm turnover, but truth be told, these pastries also work great as a dessert.
What Are Ginger Pear Turnovers?
Turnovers are flaky pastries made of a sweet-tart fruit-based filling surrounded by puff pastry. Ginger pear turnovers contain a spiced pear filling with the zing of fresh, minced ginger wrapped in the flaky puff pastry and sprinkled with crunchy sugar crystals.
The puff pastry for turnover dough needs to be rolled thin enough to produce a flaky pastry but not so thin that the filling seeps out. On the other hand, turnover dough that is too thick results in a gummy, soggy center. The great thing is that making turnovers is easy, even if you’re using homemade puff pastry.
Are Turnovers the Same Thing As Hand Pies?
Turnovers are traditionally made with puff pastry, whereas hand pies are made with pie dough. Both hand pies and turnovers have fillings, which can be sweet or savory.
The good news? You can make this recipe with pie dough if you don’t have puff pastry on hand!
What Do I Need to Make Ginger Pear Turnovers?
Ginger pear turnovers require firm but ripe pears, fresh ginger, brown sugar, cornstarch, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, water, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar. You also need an egg wash, made with egg and water, to seal the turnover dough and give them a glossy finish.
The only “special” equipment you need for this recipe is a pot, rolling pin, pastry wheel (or pizza cutter), sheet pan, and a fork.
What Are the Best Pears for Baking?
Bosc pears are the best baking pear because they have a firm texture that stands up to heat well. Bosc pears are also sweeter when they’re beginning to ripen, which means your ginger pear filling will be tasty without becoming mushy.
Other pear varieties that will work in this recipe are Concorde, Forelle, or Seckel pears. Each is firm and crisp in texture and isn’t too sweet when ripe. The sweeter the pear you use, the less sugar you should add to your ginger pear filling.
Begin by stirring diced pears and minced ginger together with the brown sugar.
How Long Can I Macerate Fruit?
Allow the pears to macerate in the sugar for 15-20 minutes. Macerating fruit in sugar draws out as much liquid from the fruit as possible. This technique produces liquid that you can use in making the filling, avoiding the need to add water to the filling, which drowns out some amazing flavor you want. You only need to macerate fruits for 20 minutes or less. Softer fruits, like berries, only need 10 minutes of macerating. Firmer fruits, like these pears, can use a longer macerating time to draw out as much liquid as possible.
What Spices Go Well with Pears?
Reserve 1 cup of the macerated pears. Add the remaining pears with their liquid to a saucier or a saucepan with sloped sides.
Bring the pears in the saucepan up to a simmer over medium heat. As the pears begin to heat, they will continue to release even more juice. Simmer the fruit mixture for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
You can switch up the flavor of this ginger pear filling by replacing the ground cinnamon with a pumpkin spice blend or chai spice blend. Both add more spice to the filling and complement the pears exceptionally. If you prefer the pure flavor of ginger and pear, omit the additional spice.
How Far Ahead Can I Make the Ginger Pear Filling?
While the pear filling simmers, stir together the cornstarch, apple cider vinegar, water, ground cinnamon, and kosher salt together in a small bowl. Apple cider vinegar may sound like an odd ingredient in a recipe like this, but it gives the ginger pear filling balance. Without it, the filling will taste flat and sweet. You can replace the apple cider vinegar with lemon juice if you don’t have it.
Add this mixture to the pot after cooking the pears for 3 minutes in a slow, steady stream, constantly stirring to avoid clumping. This slurry is what thickens the ginger pear filling.
Once the mixture goes from an opaque color to translucent and sounds like rustling newspaper when you stir it, turn the heat off. Finally, stir in the reserved pears and vanilla extract to the mixture.
Can I Freeze the Ginger Pear Filling After Making It?
Allow the filling to cool completely before using it to fill your turnovers. I often make my filling a day ahead and store it in the fridge, so it’s nice and cold. Adding hot or warm filling to the dough causes the butter in the puff pastry to melt prematurely, leading to a soggy turnover.
You can also freeze the filling after you allow it to cool completely. Transfer it to a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before stirring it and using it as instructed below.
What Dough is Used to Make Turnovers?
The most common dough to use when making turnovers is puff pastry. Puff pastry is a laminated dough comprised of hundreds of layers of dough and butter, which bakes up super flaky and crispy. Filling puff pastry with this ginger pear filling creates a contrast of flavors and textures you will love.
Before you roll out the puff pastry, make the egg wash. Egg wash is a large egg whisked together with water until smooth. An egg wash will seal the edges of the dough together and will also give your baked goods a glossy finish when brushed on top of them.
Can I Use Store-bought Puff Pastry?
You can most certainly use store-bought puff pastry to make turnovers. Buy one box. The two sheets inside of the box should be enough to make one dozen of these ginger peach turnovers. Using my homemade puff pastry, you need two portions for this recipe.
Roll out the puff pastry into a 16 x 16-inch square. Try to roll it out to about 1/4-inch thick and keep the edges as straight as possible. If you have jagged edges, use a pastry wheel to remove them, so your square has straight sides.
Cut the square into 6 4-inch squares. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash on two edges of each square.
Can I Replace the Ginger Pear Filling and Make a Different Turnover Flavor?
You can make these turnovers with any fruit filling you like. Just make sure it holds its shape and isn’t runny.
I often replace the ginger pear filling with:
- The filling from these Pumpkin Cheesecake Empanadas
- This Blueberry Ginger Topping
- Or the Apple Topping from this Cheesecake
I hope you try it with the original filling first, though.
What is the Proper Way to Fill Turnovers?
Scoop 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the fruit filling onto the lower third of the egg washed corner of dough. Fold the unbrushed corner of dough over the filling and press the edges together to seal them. Use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges of the turnover to seal it completely.
If the filling comes out of the turnover when you seal it, just crimp the dough anyway. You’d rather have a little oozing than an empty shell of a turnover.
How Do I Keep the Filling From Oozing Out of My Turnovers?
I prefer a fat turnover to an empty one, so I stuff mine with filling. As a result, the turnovers will likely ooze a bit of the filling as they bake. I took a poll on my Instagram account, and everyone agreed they’d rather have an “ugly” turnover than one full of air.
Sealing the turnover edges is vital in preventing the filling from baking out. Another way to keep your turnovers from exploding or leaking excessively is to vent them with a knife or fork. Make small cuts in the top of the turnovers after brushing them with the egg wash and sprinkling a pinch of turbinado sugar over them. This gives the steam, created by the filling, somewhere to escape.
You can also refrigerate the pan of turnovers for 15-20 minutes before brushing them with the egg wash. Refrigerating the turnovers before baking them firms the dough up, which helps the filling stay in place. I don’t think it’s worth the effort, but if you have a thing about perfectionism, it will help.
Can I Freeze Unbaked Turnovers?
You can freeze turnovers before baking them. Poke or cut venting holes in the tops of the turnovers, but don’t brush them with the egg wash. Place the turnovers on a parchment-lined sheet pan in the freezer for one hour. Once the turnovers are completely frozen, transfer them to a freezer storage bag and freeze them for up to 3 months.
You can bake the turnovers while frozen after brushing them with the egg wash and sprinkling them with sugar.
How Long Do I Bake Turnovers?
Bake the ginger pear turnovers in a 400°F (204°C) oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and flaky.
Once the turnovers are done baking, remove the pan from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool further.
How Do I Serve Ginger Pear Turnovers?
Wait 15 minutes after removing the turnovers from the oven to eat them. The filling is molten hot straight out of the oven, and you’re sure to burn your mouth if you eat them too soon.
Once cool enough to enjoy, serve your ginger pear turnovers with coffee, orange juice, or tea. Enjoy them for breakfast with yogurt or on their own. I prefer to eat these ginger pear turnovers while they’re warm, but they also taste great at room temperature.
How Do I Store Leftover Turnovers?
Store leftover turnovers in an air-tight container on the countertop for 3 days.
To give your turnovers that crispy, just-baked taste, heat them in a 350°F (177°C) oven or air fryer for 5 minutes.
Can I Freeze Baked Ginger Pear Turnovers?
To freeze turnovers after baking:
- Allow them to cool completely.
- Put the turnovers on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and freeze them until solid, then transfer the frozen turnovers to a freezer storage bag.
- Freeze the turnovers for 2 months.
When you’re ready to eat them, thaw them, uncovered, at room temperature and heat them slightly to crisp them up.
Let me know what you think of my Ginger Pear Turnovers in the comments below. Pin this recipe to your baking board to make them when pears are in season and don’t forget to share this recipe with your friends and family.
Ginger Pear Turnovers
at Sense & EdibilityEquipment
- 4-quart saucepan
- rolling pin
- sheet pan (2 preferably)
- pastry wheel or pizza cutter
Ingredients
For the Ginger Pear Filling
- 3 large (1 pound 5-ounces or 600 grams) Bosc pears cored and diced
- 1 inch knob ginger peeled and minced (about 1/2 tablespoon or 6 grams)
- 1/4 cup, packed (55 grams) brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons (25 grams) cornstarch
- 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) cold water
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon (1 gram) ground cinnamon or pumpkin spice blend, optional
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
For the Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) cold water
To Complete the Ginger Pear Turnovers
- 1 1/2 pounds (681 grams) puff pastry homemade, or 1 17.3-ounce (490 grams) box of frozen puff pastry, thawed
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ( 24 grams) Turbinado sugar optional for topping
Instructions
Macerate the Pears for 20 Minutes
- Add the diced pears, minced ginger, and brown sugar to a 4-quart saucepan. Stir the three together to combine them well. Allow the pears to macerate in the sugar for 15-20 minutes.
Prepare the Ginger Pear Filling
- Reserve 1 cup of the macerated pears. Add the remaining pears with their liquids to a saucepan on the stove.Bring the liquid in the pan up to a simmer over medium heat. As the pears begin to heat, they will continue to release even more juice. Simmer the fruit mixture for 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
- While the pear filling simmers, in a separate, small bowl, stir together the cornstarch, apple cider vinegar, water, ground cinnamon and kosher salt. Add this mixture to the pot in a slow steady stream after cooking the pears for 3 minutes. Stir the cornstarch slurry constantly to avoid clumping.
- Once the mixture goes from opaque to translucent and sounds like rustling newspaper when you stir it, turn the heat off and stir in the reserved pears and vanilla extract.Allow the filling to cool completely before using it to fill your turnovers.
Prepare the Egg Wash
- In a small bowl, vigorously whisk together the egg and cold water until smooth and free of clumps. Set this aside. Preheat an oven to 400°F (204°C). Line 2 half-sheet pan with parchment paper and set these aside as well.
Assemble Ginger Pear Turnovers
- Lightly flour your countertop and roll out the puff pastry into a 16 x 16-inch square that's about 1/4-inch thick. Try to keep the edges as straight as possible. If you have jagged edges, use a pastry wheel to cut them off, so your square has straight sides.
- Cut the larger square into 6 smaller squares that are 4-inches. Use a pastry brush to brush the egg wash on two edges of each square.
- Scoop 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the fruit filling onto the lower third of the egg washed corner of dough. Fold the unbrushed corner of dough over the filling and press the edges together with your fingers to seal them.
- Use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges of the turnover to seal it completely. If the filling comes out of the turnover when you seal it, just crimp the dough anyway. Make small cuts in the top of the turnovers after brushing them with the egg wash and sprinkling a pinch of turbinado sugar over them.
Bake the Turnovers
- Bake the ginger pear turnovers in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown and flaky. Once the turnovers are done baking, remove the pan from the oven and allow them to cool slightly before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool further.
- Wait 15 minutes after removing the turnovers from the oven to eat them. Once cool enough to enjoy, serve your ginger pear turnovers with coffee, orange juice, or tea. Enjoy them for breakfast with yogurt or on their own.
Notes
Swaps and Substitutions:
- Replace the Bosc pears with Concorde, Forelle, or Seckel pears.
- Use 1 tablespoon (8 grams) ground ginger instead of fresh and add it with the ground cinnamon.
- Replace the ground cinnamon with a pumpkin spice blend or chai spice blend.
- If you prefer the pure flavor of ginger and pear, omit the ground cinnamon.
- You can replace the apple cider vinegar with lemon juice.
Tips and Techniques:
- Macerating the pears in sugar draws out as much liquid from the fruit as possible which keeps you from having to add more water to the filling.
- I make my filling a day ahead and store it in the fridge to ensure it's completely cold.
- Adding hot or warm filling to the dough causes the butter in the puff pastry to melt prematurely, leading to a soggy turnover.
- You can refrigerate the pan of turnovers for 15-20 minutes before brushing them with the egg wash to firm up the dough, which helps keep the filling from oozing out.
- I prefer to eat these ginger pear turnovers while they're warm, but they also taste great at room temperature.
Storage Instructions:
- Store leftover turnovers in an air-tight container on the countertop for 3 days.
- To give your turnovers that crispy, just-baked taste, heat them in a 350°F (177°C) oven or air fryer for 5 minutes.
Freezing Instructions:
- To Freeze the Ginger Pear Filling:
- Allow the filling to cool completely.
- Transfer it to a freezer-safe container and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Thaw the filling in the refrigerator overnight before stirring it and using it as instructed in the recipe.
- To Freeze Unbaked Ginger Pear Turnovers:
- Poke or cut venting holes in the tops of the turnovers, but don't brush them with the egg wash.
- Place the turnovers on a parchment-lined sheet pan in the freezer for one hour.
- Once the turnovers are completely frozen, transfer them to a freezer storage bag and freeze them for up to 3 months.
- Bake the turnovers while frozen after brushing them with the egg wash and sprinkling them with sugar adding 5 minutes to the baking time.
- To Freeze Baked Ginger Pear Turnovers:
- Allow the turnovers to cool completely.
- Put the turnovers on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and freeze them until solid, then transfer the frozen turnovers to a freezer storage bag.
- Freeze the turnovers for 2 months.
- When you're ready to eat them, thaw them, uncovered, at room temperature and heat them slightly to crisp them up.
Ginger and pear, such a tempting and warm filling. Perfect recipe to try out this time of the year. I tried as soon as I pick a punnet of pears this past week!
That’s awesome, Hayley!
This was such an am amazing combination on flavours and textures that I had to come back and tell you how much this recipe was boss!
I’ll take “boss”, Kari!