Description
These Sweet Potato Turnovers are a deliciously flaky pastry filled with a spiced sweet potato mixture, enhanced with warm spices, citrus zest, and tahini. Perfect as a cozy dessert or a sweet snack, they combine a buttery crust with a luscious, aromatic filling. The turnovers are baked to a golden perfection, topped with a crunchy sugar and black sesame seed topping for added texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 3 tablespoons brown butter, chilled and cubed
- 6–8 tablespoons ice water
Filling
- 2 cups mashed sweet potato (from about 2 medium baked or steamed)
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- â…› teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange zest (from 1 small orange)
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 2 tablespoons tahini
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
Topping
- 1 large egg + 1 tablespoon water (for egg wash)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for topping)
- 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
Instructions
- Make Brown Butter: Begin by heating 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a skillet over medium heat. Watch closely as the foam subsides; you want a golden-brown color and a nutty aroma. Once browned, strain the butter and chill it until firm, then cube it.
- Prepare Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and granulated sugar. Add the cold unsalted butter cubes and chilled brown butter. Use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles pea-sized crumbs. Keeping ingredients cold is essential for flaky results.
- Form Dough: Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, tossing gently until the dough starts to come together without getting tough. Form into a ball, divide in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Make Filling: In a bowl, combine mashed sweet potato, brown sugar, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla extract, orange zest, orange juice, tahini, and chia seeds. Mix thoroughly and chill while the dough rests.
- Assemble Turnovers: Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a floured surface, roll out one disk of dough into a 12 x 10 inch rectangle. Cut into six rectangles measuring approximately 5 x 4 inches. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of filling onto one half of each rectangle. Brush edges with water, fold over to form triangles, and press edges with a fork to seal.
- Apply Topping: Whisk egg with water to create an egg wash. Brush over each turnover. Sprinkle granulated sugar and black sesame seeds on top for texture and sweetness.
- Bake: Place baking sheets in the oven and bake for 20–23 minutes, turning halfway through for even browning. Bake until turnovers are deep golden with a toasty aroma. For an extra crispy bottom, bake on a preheated baking stone or inverted baking tray.
- Freezing Instructions: To freeze assembled turnovers, flash-freeze them on a tray, then transfer to a container. Bake from frozen by adding 5–7 minutes to baking time. To freeze dough, wrap dough disks tightly in plastic and store up to 1 month.
Notes
- Keeping the butter and dough cold is critical for flaky pastry layers.
- Use a skillet to brown butter carefully, watching to prevent burning.
- If sweet potatoes are not baked, steaming properly works well for mashing.
- Freezing assembled turnovers before baking saves time for future use.
- Chia seeds add nutritional value and texture but can be omitted if desired.
- Using a baking stone or inverted tray enhances the crust crispness on the bottom.
