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Sweet Baked Empanadas-Pineapple Apple Empanadas

This a a mixed fruit empanada with a little coconut! Experimenting with the family empanada dough recipe. I enjoyed this version!
Course Desserrt
Cuisine Mexican
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Resting Time For Dough 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 53 minutes
Servings 24 empanadas

Ingredients

Pineapple Apple Filling

  • 4 c pineapple, finely diced
  • 2 c green apple, peeled, diced
  • 3/4 c shredded toasted coconut
  • 1 c brown sugar or grated piloncillo
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp apple pie spice
  • 2 tbsps cornstarch
  • 1/4 c water

Dough

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 teaspoon anise seeds
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 3 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup fine sugar
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup shortening
  • 1 large egg beaten

Cinnamon Sugar

  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions

Filling

  • Add all of the ingredients to a skillet, minus the cornstarch and water. Heat to medium. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and continue cooking for a good 40 to 50 minutes. Taste for sugar along the way.
  • Once it has broken down and reduced, whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Cook for 5 more minutes.  You know your filling is thick enough when you can run a spatula down the center of pan and it stays on either side of pan without running back to the middle. Remove from heat and let cool.
  • This recipe is enough for about 40 small empanadas more or less. Freeze leftover filling in a heavy freezer bag.

Dough

  • In a small sauce pan, heat the 1 cup of water with anise seeds and cinnamon stick. Bring up to a boil, then remove from heat and let steep.
  • Sift the flour with sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in 1 cup shortening and work in with hands or pastry cutter until you have small crumbles. Set aside.
  • To the flour mixture, mix in the egg until well incorporated. Strain the anise cinnamon tea. Gradually mix in the tea a little at a time until dough forms. You may not end up using all of the tea. If it seems too dry, add a little more water as you knead dough for 5 minutes.
  • When ready, roll 24 dough balls. Place in bowl or on a plate, cover and let set for 30 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with foil or parchment paper. Line a tortilla press with a plastic bag, cut down to size.
  • Before pressing dough ball, knead it for about 30 seconds and shape it back into a flat disc. Press one disc at a time to a 3 1/2 to 4 in circle. The edges will look slightly jagged. Fill with  about 2 tablespoons of filling. Fold over, pinch edge and fold over. Do not over fill.  Do this all the way over the opening to seal.
  • Bake for 30 minutes, then place under broiler to brown the tops a little. Just about 1 minute. Remove from oven and let cool for 35-45 seconds. While they are still warm, gently dredge through cinnamon/sugar mix.