It’s the end of the summer (sob), and time to make desserts with the last of the local fruit and berries. Pies are always a good choice. Relatively easy to make, a fruit pie with a simple filling showcases the natural sweetness and flavor of the fruit without
overshadowing it. Combining the same elements as pies—pastry and fruit filling—turnovers are like personal pies. No one can raise an eyebrow when you cut too big a slice, because there’s no slicing a turnover. It’s all yours. Turnovers can be made with standard pie
crust, or they can be Frenchified with puff pastry. They can be served plain, with a sprinkling of sugar on top, or glazed. I decided to make a Blueberry Turnover with a puff pastry crust, because I love the buttery crunch of baked puff pastry with the fruit filling. I
used my recipe for Quick Puff Pastry for the crust, but store-bought puff pastry is an excellent option. Just roll each sheet out to a 12-inch square, as called for in the recipe. The filling for turnovers should be relatively thick, to prevent it from seeping out of the
pastry as you form the turnovers, so I call for chilling it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. You should also chill the turnovers for 30 minutes before baking them for the best results.
On another topic, I saw a wonderful film the other day—it’s called Kings of Pastry, and it documents the epic journey of pastry chef Jacquy Pfeiffer, an old friend of mine, as he attempts, along with 15 other finalists, to earn the M.O.F. (Meilleurs Ouvriers de France—
Best Craftsman in France) designation. This honor, the highest there is for a pastry chef, is bestowed upon only those deemed worthy enough after a grueling three-day demonstration of skill, artistry, training and perhaps a bit of luck. The film follows Jacquy
as he painstakingly prepares for the competition at home in Chicago, up to the presentation ceremony in Lyon. He, along with his co-competitors, seeks to fulfill his dream, which is one that can only be achieved through excellence under intense pressure. Some
handle the pressure well, while others crack up—you’ll see a few grown men sobbing uncontrollably in the film, but I won’t ruin it for you by divulging the outcome. As Jacquy put it, “The M.O.F. is not about doing ‘the best you can do’, but the ‘best that can be done.’” And that’s never an easy thing. To read the NY Times review of the movie, click here. The film opens on September 15. For showing information, visit http://kingsofpastry.com.
