Vegan Heart Cherry Turnovers
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This recipe was inspired by Lara Jean Covey - the letter writing wonder from the To All The Boys I've Loved Before series.
Lara Jean and I actually have quite a bit in common. We both enjoy crafts; she is more into scrapbooking though, but papercrafts are at the top of my crafting list for the year. We both are on a mission to make the perfect cookie recipe; I, in fact, have come pretty close with my giant chocolate chip cookies. We both love 80s movies, and yes, Sixteen Candles is an absolute classic. But most of all, we both love 'love'.
In chapter 25 of P.S. I Still Love You, Lara Jean is baking cherry turnovers for a very special Valentine (no spoilers here), so it would only be right if I baked cherry turnovers for Valentine's too - except I have shaped mine to hearts because I will always do the very most possible to follow a theme to its entirety. I'm 100% sure Lara Jean would approve.
There is something so sweet about taking the time out of your day to bake a special something for someone. Even if you think your baking skills aren't the best, and your creations don't turn out looking what you deem as "perfect," that's all the fun in homemade. Plus, don't worry if you think you haven't got a single baking bone in your body; these took about 10 minutes to prepare, as all the difficult parts have been done for you.
Is that cheating? Of course not. Many pre-made puff pastry sheets are vegan! (But always double check the ingredients in case of recipe change etc). Making puff pastry from scratch is an obstacle I'm not ready to face just yet. All that rolling and turning and freezing to get those perfect layers. And worst of all, after all that hard work, what if you have no layers? Baking for me will always fix a broken heart, so being broken hearted due to baking is something I wouldn't know how to fix. Have I ever mentioned that I can be a little overdramatic?
If you're looking for a little bit of a challenge, check out my vegan lady bug cupcakes - red velvet and vanilla marbled sponge, topped with fresh strawberry buttercream, and decorated with the most adorable homemade ladybugs.
We are also helped with the filling. I used a tin of cherry pie filling as it has a thick syrup, and pitted cherries so it's the perfect texture to fill your turnovers. Feel free to use other fruits if cherries aren't your favourites, but they will always be mine. Let's not forget about my mini layered cherry cakes, which could easily be transformed into Valentine's Day treats.
To make your turnovers, all you have to do is place your pre-made puff pastry sheet onto a lightly floured surface. Using a heart-shaped cutter, cut out your pastry and place onto a greaseproof lined tray. I managed to cut 14 hearts (made into 7 turnovers) out of mine but all will depend on the size of your cutter. (Puff pastry can't be re-rolled but there's a tip below for what to do with leftovers). Fill the centres with your cherry filling, and place another heart on top. Mine were small but I tried to put as much filling in as possible without having to distort the shape on top.
Once you have filled all your hearts, press the edges down with the base of a fork and brush over some dairy-free milk or butter. I also sprinkled on granulated sugar and ground almonds but that's optional. Poke a few air holes in the top and then they're ready to bake. They take about 15-20 minutes, and they should look all golden and puffed to perfection. Once cooled, make a pink or red icing, and drizzle over the top. A trick I learnt and had always been failing when drizzling is to use a fork and not a spoon.
With any leftover puff pastry, sprinkle over ground cinnamon, roll into a twist, and bake. A snack to enjoy.
These heart cherry turnovers are super quick and easy, filled with flavour, and have the exact texture you love and remember from turnovers.
VEGAN HEART CHERRY TURNOVERS
This recipe makes 7 cherry filled hearts.- 320g puff pastry ready rolled sheet (check that it's vegan)
- 200g cherry pie filling
- Dairy-free milk
- Ground almonds + granulated sugar (optional)
- 50g icing sugar
- Pink or red food dye gel
INGREDIENTS
- Pre-heat the oven to 220°C / 200°C (fan) / 390°F / gas mark 7. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
- Place your puff pastry sheet onto a floured surface and using your cutter, cut out heart shapes. Don't re-roll any leftover pastry.
- Fill the bottom layer of the hearts with cherry pie filling, and place another heart on top.
- Secure by pressing down the edges with a fork. Brush over a little milk and sprinkle with ground almonds and granulated sugar. Use a fork to make a few air holes on top. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden brown and well puffed. Leave to cool.
- Mix together your icing sugar with a little milk and food dye gel. The consistency should be thick but pourable. Use a fork to drizzle over your hearts. Serve fresh.
INSTRUCTIONS
Let me know in the comments below if you're a fan of the To All The Boys I've Loved before series. How much did you enjoy the movie too? Be sure to tell me if you love these turnovers, and what you usually bake for Valentine's.
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