1/4 cup unsweetened apple juice or water
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 medium apples, peeled and chopped
3 medium pears, peeled and chopped
1 medium lemon, zested and juiced
2 packages (17.3 ounces each) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons coarse sugar, optional
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
1. In a large skillet, bring apple juice and maple syrup to a simmer over medium heat. Split vanilla bean lengthwise. Using the tip of a sharp knife, scrape seeds from the center into skillet; add bean. Cook until liquid has reduced slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Add apples and pears; cook and stir until fruit is just tender, 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from heat; add lemon zest and juice. Cool completely. Remove vanilla bean pods.
2. Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, unroll pastry sheets. Roll each sheet into a 12-inch square; cut each sheet into 4 equal squares. Spoon 1/4 cup apple mixture diagonally over half of each square to within 1/2 in. of edges. Moisten pastry edges with water. Fold 1 corner over filling to the opposite corner, forming a triangle; press edges with a fork to seal.
3. Transfer to greased baking sheets. Brush tops of pastries with beaten egg; prick tops with a fork. If desired, combine coarse sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle over pastries. Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks. Serve warm or at room temperature.
TOTAL TIME: Prep: 35 min. Bake: 20 min.
YIELD: 16 servings.
Nutrition Facts
1 pocket: 351 calories, 17g fat (4g saturated fat), 12mg cholesterol, 207mg sodium, 46g carbohydrate (9g sugars, 6g fiber), 5g protein.