Blueberry & Mascarpone Turnovers

This month is all about cheese for our Blogger Recipe Challenge group. Do you have any idea how much I love cheese? Parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mascarpone cheese....if it's a cheese, chances are I'll eat it!

This challenge will be tons of fun for me because I like to incorporate cheese into many different types of recipes. From main dishes to apps to sweet treats, I've got lots of ideas floating around in my head!

Take this first recipe for example. Delicious turnovers filled with a sweet and creamy mixture of mascarpone and blueberries. Trust me when I say these babies are good. And very simple to make too!

Blueberry & Mascarpone Turnovers
Recipe written by The Chef Next Door
Makes 8 turnovers
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Ingredients:
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cornstarch
Juice of half a lemon 
1 tsp lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh or frozen blueberries (if using frozen, be sure to thaw completely)
2 (9-inch) refrigerated pie crusts
1 egg

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together the cheese, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth. Gently fold in the blueberries.

Using a 4-inch round cookie cutter, cut the pie dough into 8 circles. Place the dough rounds on a work surface. 

Put the egg in a small bowl and lightly beat. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the edges of each round with the beaten egg. Place one heaping teaspoon of the cheese mixture in the center of the dough. Fold the dough in half to enclose the filling and pinch the edges to seal. Using the tines of a fork, gently crimp the sealed edges. Place the filled turnovers on the prepared baking sheet.

Lightly brush the tops of each turnover with a little bit of the beaten egg, then sprinkle with a little bit of sugar.

Bake the turnovers for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are nice and golden brown. Allow them to cool on the pan for 15 minutes, then remove them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Turnovers are best eaten the same day, however, they will keep well in a tightly sealed container for up to three days. 

Bon Appetit!