Apple & Strawberry Turnovers - The Perfect Quickie Snack

I made these turnovers this morning for the Bed and Breakfast guests, and honestly they were made from start to finish in 20 minutes using only four ingredients. Now how's that for a quickie?!

Quick snacks do require short cut ingredients, so as always, I use premade shop bought ready rolled puff pastry, and I use a high quality strawberry conserve. There is nothing wrong with using short cut ingredients from time to time, as long as you buy the best quality you can afford. There really is such a difference.

These turnovers are perfect for my guests who love a morning pastry, but they would work equally as well with a dollop of cream or custard for an elegant dinner party dessert. Either way, they are simply childs play to make and way too delicious not to make.

Here's how:

Ingredients

• 1 packet of ready rolled all butter puff pastry
• 1 jar of good quality strawberry conserve
• 2 tbsp of flaked almonds
• 1 apple, peeled and diced.

To Glaze:

• Some milk and brown sugar

To decorate:

• Some icing sugar

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Roll out the puff pastry with the longest end neares you. Then cut it into 3. Then cut horizontal in half.
3. On each square place a teaspoon of strawberry conserve in the centre and top with a teaspoon of diced apple
4. Repeat with every remaining square.
5. Brush the edges of each pastry square with the milk and fold in half pressing down all the edges.
6. Use a fork to press down the pinched sides of the squares.
7. Brush the tops of the squares with the milk, top with a couple of flaked almonds and finish off with a sprinkle of brown sugar.
8. Place in the centre of the oven for 16-18 minutes to bake.
9. When beautifully risen and golden brown, remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack.
10. When cooled dust liberally with icing sugar.

So easy, there's simply no excuse!!!

Refreshing and Tangy Lemon & Ginger Bars

With summer only a hop, skip and jump away, it's out with the comforting cakes and in with some zesty light but vibrant summer baking! These lemon and ginger bar are the perfect way to start the summer season. They are so simple to make , kids would be only too happy to help and they are absolutely awesome for picnics and lunchbox treats.

I find that they keep great for a couple of days in an airtight container.

Ingredients

• 90g of butter
• 250g of ginger nut biscuits.
• 200g of caster sugar
• 2 large free range eggs and 1 extra egg yolk, beaten
• 100ml of lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 25g of plain flour.

Method

1. Line a swiss roll tin, 18cm x 23cm, with grease proof paper and preheat the oven to 180 degrees.
2. Crush the biscuit in a zip-lock bag with a rolling pin (kids love this), and add to a bowl.
3. Melt the butter.
4. Pour the melted butter into the crushed biscuits and mix well so that the biscuits are well coated.
5. Press the buttery biscuits into the base of the baking tin and press down really well with a spoon.
6. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until golden.
7. In a clean bowl, add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine thoroughly.
8. Pour the mixture oven the golden base and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes, until completely set.
9. Allow to cool on a wire rack in the tin. Once cooled cut into bars.