Goat cheese and blueberries may sound like an unusual combination but the merriment of these two ingredients make these blueberry goat cheese empanadas a hit! They’re just so delicious and impressive; A little bit sweet, a little bit savoury – not to mention the stunning flavor and colour combination they produce. What are you waiting for?! Start baking!
What is an empanada?
Empanadas are a Spanish or Latin-American pastry. Usually baked or fried, they are similar to a turnover and typically filled with savory ingredients like beef or chicken. Generally shaped in half-moons they can range in size from extra small to extra large. Empanadas are an extremely popular dish in many countries and you can find them in an extensive variety of fillings and flavors.
Ingredients
For Dough
Flour – I used a mixture of all-purpose and whole wheat flour. Sugar Salt Butter – Cold, unsalted. Egg yolks
For Filling
Blueberries – Fresh. Sugar – You can substitute honey or agave. Flour – I used all-purpose. Vanilla – If you don’t have vanilla you can substitute maple syrup. Any changes in flavor will be subtle. Goat cheese – Crumbled.
For topping
Egg – For egg wash. Turbinado Sugar – Also known as raw sugar, optional.
Why goat cheese?
The creaminess of the goat cheese takes these empanadas to a whole new level of delicious. You won’t want to skip the goat cheese, trust me! Goat cheese provides healthy fats and is a great source of protein and calcium – for strong bones! It’s also lower in lactose so it’s easier for us to digest. Granted if you’re truly not a fan of goat cheese, you can use regular cream cheese instead.
How to make blueberry empanadas
How to serve
These little goat cheese empanadas are so scrumptious they can be served hot or cold! I like to have mine when they are warm from the oven, I can hardly wait for them to cool down a little before I eat one. They would be beautiful as an accompaniment to breakfast, a snack, or paired with a nice cup of tea as an afternoon treat. However you want to serve them, they won’t do you wrong in the flavor department.
Make ahead
You can pre-make your empanadas before hand and store them uncooked in the fridge for up to two days! Uncooked empanadas can also be kept in the freezer for a longer shelf life – up to three months! Just store them individually wrapped in plastic and placed in re-sealable plastic freezer bags. The best part? There’s no need to thaw before baking! They can go straight from the freezer to your oven, convenient and delicious.
Leftovers
Store cooked empanadas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. They can also be stored in the freezer for a longer shelf life. Refer to above for uncooked empanada storing instructions.
More delicious recipes to try:
Mini Blueberry Galettes Blueberry Coffee Cake Beef Empanada Beets And Goat Cheese Pasta Blueberry Muffins Easy Strawberry Cake Blueberry Fritters Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes Lemon Blueberry Ricotta Pancakes Dutch Baby Pancake
