Air Fryer Recipe
Pear and Cinnamon Turnovers
A scrumptious and easy-to-make pear and cinnamon turnovers recipe, perfect for air frying.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe pears, peeled, cored, and diced
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Ready-made puff pastry sheets
- 1 egg (beaten, for egg wash)
- Powdered sugar for dusting (optional)
Method
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (350°F).
- In a bowl, combine diced pears, cinnamon, brown sugar, and lemon juice.
- Roll out the pastry sheets and cut into 6-inch squares.
- Place a spoonful of pear mixture in the center of each square, fold into a triangle, and seal edges with a fork.
- Brush the tops with beaten egg.
- Place turnovers in the air fryer basket and cook for 10-12 minutes until golden brown.
- Allow to cool and dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Why this works in an air fryer
The air fryer’s fast convection dries the puff pastry surface quickly, so the butter layers steam and separate before the pear filling can soak them. Lemon juice limits pear browning and balances the sugar, while egg wash improves surface browning at 180°C without needing a long bake.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 4–5 litre basket fitting 2–3 turnovers with gaps for airflow; in a single-drawer model cook in batches, while dual-zone drawers usually need 1–2 turnovers per side and may brown faster, so check from 9 minutes and swap positions if one zone runs hotter.
Common pitfalls
- Pale, damp bottoms at 10 minutes mean trapped steam or too much pear juice; drain the filling before assembling, leave space between turnovers, and cook 2–3 minutes longer directly on the basket or a perforated liner.
- Edges opening with bubbling syrup means the pastry was overfilled or the seal was wet; use a modest spoonful, wipe the border dry, press firmly with a fork, and chill for 10 minutes before air frying.
- Deep brown tops but doughy seams mean the heat is too aggressive for the pastry thickness; reduce to 170°C and extend by 3–5 minutes so the inner layers can cook through.
- Flat, greasy pastry with little lift means the puff pastry got warm before cooking; keep sheets cold, handle briefly, and refrigerate assembled turnovers while the air fryer preheats.
Variations & substitutions
- Swap pears for firm eating apples diced slightly smaller; they release less juice but need 1–2 extra minutes to soften properly.
- Use well-drained tinned pears for a softer filling; pat them dry and reduce the sugar slightly to avoid a syrupy leak.
- Add finely chopped walnuts or almonds for crunch; small pieces toast quickly in the hot airflow, so avoid large chunks that can pierce the pastry.
- Use gluten-free puff pastry if needed; it often browns faster and can be more brittle, so start checking at 8–9 minutes.
Storage & reheating
Keep cooled turnovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 3–5 minutes until the pastry crisps again.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
