Chocolate-Banana Empanadas

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Yield: 20 empanadas
  • Total: 2 hr 40 min
  • Prep: 40 min
  • Inactive: 1 hr 30 min
  • Cook: 30 min
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Ingredients

4 large ripe bananas

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 recipe empanada dough, recipe follows

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, broken in chunks

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Empanada Dough:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup masa harina

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Butter, for greasing the pans

Directions

  1. Mash the bananas, sugar, and cinnamon together in a mixing bowl until creamy, but not completely smooth ¿ you should still have pieces of banana chunks. Spoon a generous tablespoon of the banana filling on the empanada pastry circles and stick a piece of chocolate on top. Form and bake the empanadas as directed in the recipe. Dust with confectioners¿ sugar and serve hot.

Empanada Dough:

  1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, masa harina, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the melted butter. Gradually add 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup of water, working it in with your hands to incorporate; the dough should be easy to handle and not sticky. Form the dough into a ball, wrap it in plastic, and chill for 30 minutes.
  2. Lightly flour your rolling pin and counter. Divide the dough in 1/2 so it will be easier to work with and roll it out to 1/8-inch thickness. Using a 4-inch cookie or biscuit cutter, cut out 10 circles of dough; repeat with the other 1/2.
  3. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons of filling into the center of each pastry circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Brush the edges with the egg wash and then fold the dough over in 1/2 to enclose the filling and form a semi-circle. Tightly seal the edges by crimping with the tines of a fork. Chill at least 30 minutes before baking.
  4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place the empanadas on a buttered baking sheet and brush the tops with additional egg wash. Using a fork, prick a few holes in the top of the empanadas for steam to escape. Bake for 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

Let's Get Cooking!

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John A.

I used my pie dough recipe, the filling was outstanding. A very quick and elegant dessert, perfect with a sup of coffee.

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