Decadent Chocolate Strawberry Nutella Turnovers: An Easy Puff Pastry Recipe
Prepare yourself for an unforgettable dessert experience with these incredibly delicious and surprisingly simple Chocolate Strawberry Nutella Turnovers. Imagine golden, flaky puff pastry generously stuffed with a vibrant medley of fresh, sweet strawberries, rich melted chocolate, and creamy, irresistible Nutella. Each bite delivers a symphony of textures and flavors, making these turnovers the perfect indulgent treat for any occasion. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting, this recipe utilizes the convenience of store-bought puff pastry, ensuring a delightful result with minimal effort.
The Inspiration Behind These Irresistible Turnovers
The journey to these amazing Chocolate Strawberry Nutella Turnovers began with a love for classic fruit pastries. Having previously perfected strawberry cream cheese turnovers, the desire to explore new flavor combinations was strong. It felt natural to pair the sweet tartness of fresh strawberries with the comforting bitterness of chocolate. However, to truly elevate this dessert from delicious to absolutely divine, a secret ingredient was needed to add that extra layer of richness and depth. Enter Nutella – the beloved hazelnut cocoa spread that transforms any baked good into a masterpiece. The addition of Nutella created a triple-threat filling that perfectly complements the buttery, flaky puff pastry, making these turnovers an instant favorite.
Simplified Baking with Store-Bought Puff Pastry
One of the greatest advantages of this recipe is the use of store-bought puff pastry. While making puff pastry from scratch is a rewarding culinary endeavor, it can be time-consuming and challenging. For a quick, easy, and consistently delicious result, pre-made frozen puff pastry is an absolute lifesaver. It allows you to achieve that signature light, airy, and flaky texture without hours of folding and chilling.
When working with frozen puff pastry, the key is proper thawing. Allow it to thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for about 30-40 minutes, until it’s pliable enough to unfold without cracking but still cold to the touch. This delicate balance ensures the pastry remains manageable and bakes up beautifully. Once thawed, the process is straightforward: unroll, slice into squares, fill, fold, and seal. It’s a testament to how simple yet impressive homemade-style desserts can be.
Crafting the Irresistible Chocolate Strawberry Nutella Filling
The heart of these turnovers lies in their luscious filling, a harmonious blend of fresh fruit, rich chocolate, and creamy hazelnut spread. Each component plays a vital role in creating a balanced and utterly satisfying flavor profile.
Sweet and Juicy Strawberries
Fresh, ripe strawberries are the star of the show. Their natural sweetness and slight tartness provide a refreshing contrast to the richness of the chocolate and Nutella. To ensure your turnovers don’t become soggy during baking, a crucial step is to toss the chopped strawberries with a little granulated sugar and cornstarch. The sugar helps draw out some of the strawberries’ moisture, intensifying their flavor, while the cornstarch acts as a thickener. As the turnovers bake, the cornstarch prevents the released juices from making the pastry wet, instead transforming them into a delightful, slightly thickened, jam-like consistency that clings beautifully to the fruit. This simple trick guarantees a perfectly textured filling every time.
Decadent Chopped Chocolate
For the chocolate component, semi-sweet chocolate is highly recommended as it offers a rich flavor without being overly sweet, balancing the strawberries and Nutella. However, feel free to customize according to your preference. If you prefer a bolder, less sweet taste, dark chocolate would be a fantastic choice. For a sweeter, creamier profile, milk chocolate can also be used.
It’s important to use a bar of chocolate that you can roughly chop, rather than relying solely on chocolate chips. While chocolate chips can work in a pinch, they often contain stabilizers that prevent them from melting as smoothly and lusciously as chopped baking chocolate. Chopped chocolate will melt into pockets of gooey deliciousness within the turnover, enhancing the overall experience.
The Creamy Dream of Nutella
Nutella, the beloved hazelnut cocoa spread, is the secret weapon that brings this filling to life. While some enjoy it straight from the jar, its true magic shines when incorporated into baking. In these turnovers, Nutella adds an incredible depth of flavor with its characteristic hazelnut notes and silky, spreadable texture. It acts as a delightful binder, ensuring the filling stays moist and incredibly flavorful. Its presence elevates the simple combination of strawberries and chocolate into a truly gourmet treat, providing that “little something extra” that transforms a good dessert into an extraordinary one.
Assembling Your Flaky Masterpieces
Once your ingredients are prepped, assembling these turnovers is a breeze. First, prepare your workspace by lightly flouring a clean surface. Gently unroll your thawed puff pastry sheets. Most packages contain two sheets, and each sheet can typically be cut into four equal squares, giving you eight turnovers in total.
Divide your strawberry mixture, chopped chocolate, and Nutella evenly among the eight pastry squares. For best results, place the filling slightly off-center, closer to one corner of each square. This makes folding and sealing much easier. Fold the opposite corner of the pastry over the filling, creating a triangular shape. Gently press around the edges to seal, then use the tines of a fork to crimp the edges, ensuring a tight seal that will keep the delicious filling tucked securely inside during baking. This crimping also adds a beautiful decorative touch.
Before baking, a light brushing of an egg white wash over the top of each turnover is recommended. This egg wash creates a beautiful golden-brown sheen and contributes to that desirable crisp, flaky crust. Arrange your turnovers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, leaving enough space between them for even baking.
Baking to Golden Perfection
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C) to ensure the pastry puffs up quickly and achieves its signature flakiness. Bake the turnovers for 15-18 minutes, or until they are beautifully puffed, golden brown, and cooked through. Keep an eye on them towards the end of the baking time, as oven temperatures can vary. Once baked, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool for about 10 minutes. This cooling period is important, as it allows the filling to set slightly and prevents you from burning your tongue on the molten chocolate and Nutella within!
The Irresistible Chocolate Nutella Glaze
While these turnovers are fantastic on their own, a simple chocolate Nutella glaze takes them over the top. The glaze is made by melting semi-sweet chocolate with a touch of Nutella. Combine the chopped chocolate and Nutella in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in short bursts (20-30 seconds), stirring thoroughly after each interval, until the mixture is smooth and glossy. This method ensures the chocolate melts evenly without seizing or burning.
Drizzle the warm glaze over the slightly cooled turnovers. The glaze might get a little messy if the turnovers are still quite warm, but let’s be honest – who can resist melty chocolate? The combination of warm, flaky pastry, gooey filling, and a decadent chocolate drizzle is pure bliss. The glaze adds an extra layer of chocolatey hazelnut flavor and a beautiful visual appeal, making these turnovers truly irresistible.
Tips for Success
- **Keep Pastry Cold:** Always work with cold puff pastry. If it becomes too warm and sticky, pop it back into the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes.
- **Don’t Overfill:** While tempting, overfilling the turnovers can cause them to burst open during baking.
- **Proper Sealing:** Ensure the edges are well-crimped with a fork to prevent the filling from leaking out.
- **Parchment Paper is Key:** Always line your baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat to prevent sticking and make cleanup easy.
- **Cornstarch for Filling:** Don’t skip the cornstarch with the strawberries; it’s essential for a perfectly set, non-soggy filling.
Serving Suggestions and Variations
These Chocolate Strawberry Nutella Turnovers are versatile. They make an excellent addition to a brunch spread, a delightful breakfast pastry, or a show-stopping dessert. Serve them warm for the ultimate gooey experience, perhaps with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or a dollop of fresh whipped cream. They also keep well at room temperature for a few days, though they are best enjoyed fresh.
Want to experiment? While this recipe focuses on the classic strawberry, chocolate, and Nutella trio, feel free to try other fruits. Raspberries or cherries would also pair wonderfully with chocolate and Nutella. You could also sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon or a tiny dash of vanilla extract into the strawberry mixture for an extra layer of flavor. For a crunch, add some finely chopped toasted hazelnuts to the filling.
Chocolate Strawberry Nutella Turnovers
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Ingredients
For the turnovers
- 1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package directions
- 1 and 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 ounces semi-sweet chocolate roughly chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1/4 cup Nutella
- 1 egg white lightly beaten
For the glaze:
- 1 ounce semi-sweet chocolate roughly chopped (about 1/4 cup)
- 1 teaspoon Nutella optional
Instructions
To make the turnovers:
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Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
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Unroll both pieces of puff pastry and slice each piece into four equal sized squares, you will end up with 8 square pieces.
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In a large mixing bowl, toss together the strawberries, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until all of the berries are well coated. Evenly distribute the strawberries, chocolate, and Nutella between all 8 pieces of puff pastry, making sure to keep the filling a little closer to one corner. Fold the other corner over the filling, making sure to keep the filling tucked inside, and crimp the edges with a fork to seal.
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Brush the top of each turnover with the egg white and place the turnovers onto the prepared baking sheet. I usually bake these in two separate batches. Bake at 400°F for 15-18 minutes or until puffed and lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
To make the glaze:
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Add the chopped chocolate and Nutella to a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 20-30 second increments, making sure to stir well after each increment, until melted and smooth. Top each turnover with the glaze.
If you adore the flaky goodness of turnovers, be sure to try these equally delightful recipes:
Next, whip up some Strawberry Cream Cheese Turnovers.
And don’t forget these comforting Apple Turnovers.
