Fruit Filled Turnovers

I have the habit of going through cookbooks marking the recipes I want to try.  Prior to the advent of post-it notes I used little strips of torn paper for marking.  As a result all of my cookbooks look like they have feathers!    When I'm  looking for something different to cook I grab which ever cookbook strikes my fancy at the time.  Then I pick one of the flagged recipes to finally try.  I have stumbled upon some great recipes this way!

So it was with the fruit filled turnovers in the rolled cookie section of the Betty Crocker's Cookbook (1969).  I decided to finally try this recipe.  Rather than form the turnovers by hand I used a hinged turnover form that flutes the edge.  The other side cuts a perfect sized circle for the turnover form. 

The dough was quite rich and a bit on the difficult to work with side even when well chilled.  I found that keeping all surfaces well floured was key for not only rolling and cutting but also to get good release from the turnover form.

Fruit Filled Turnovers
source:  Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 1969. Pp. 150.

½ c shortening
1 c organic sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2½ c unbleached flour
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp baking soda
assortment of jams for filling*

Mix the shortening, sugar, eggs and vanilla together in bowl of stand mixer using the paddle attachment.  In a separate bowl combine flour, salt and baking soda.  Mix well.  Pour into the egg mixture the blend until smooth.  Scrape the dough onto a sheet of wax paper.  Form into a ball then wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.  Heat oven to 205ºC (400ºF).  Roll dough ⅟16  inch thick on lightly floured board.  Cut into 3 - inch circles.  Place a dough circle on the fluted side of the turnover form or if not using a turnover form leave on the cutting surface.  Spoon about a teaspoon of jam on one half of the dough.  Fold the dough over the filling and seal using the turnover form or by hand.  Place each filled turnover onto a Silpat® or parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Brush with milk.  Sprinkle with sugar.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.  Remove from oven and immediately remove from baking sheet.

*The original recipes has 4 separate fruit filling recipes however, I used my homemade strawberry jam.  It's easier and just as good.  Jam is the perfect substitute for these types of fillings.

The cookies came out quite nicely despite the difficulty working with the dough.  They were quite tasty!  I thought the dough portion would be more of a soft bread style  but instead it is a harder cookie style with a texture similar to sugar cookies.  Pictured are the cookies after they cooled.  A few if them had cracks with a bit of the filling oozing a little but surprisingly the filling didn't run much due to the heat of the oven. 

The nice thing about these cookies is you really can use any jam or jelly for the filling.  You don't need to make them all the same either.  The light sprinkling of sugar on top is a nice added touch as well.