Do You Like Piña Colada Empanadas?

AKA Pineapple Empanadas, Take 2

So, I did a little playing and came up with my own twist on pineapple empanaditas.

As far as I'm concerned, you can't go wrong with coconut.  And if you've got pineapple and coconut, why not add a little rum?

Piña Colada Empanadas (adapted from Eating Well)

filling

1 1/2 c chopped fresh pineapple*

1/3 c pineapple preserves

1/4 c shredded coconut

pinch of cinnamon

dough

3/4 c flour

1/4 c whole wheat flour

1/2 c shredded coconut

1/4 c sugar

1 1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

2 T cream cheese

2 T vegetable oil

4 T milk

glaze

1/2 c powdered sugar

1 T rum

water

* See below for oh-so important note.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, stir together pineapple and preserves. Stir frequently and cook mixture until thickened, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat.  Add coconut and cinnamon and mix thoroughly.  

In a large bowl, combine flours, coconut, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add cream cheese and oil and get ready to play with your food. With your fingers, combine the ingredients until they're crumbly. One tablespoon at a time, add the milk and stir until the dough comes together. Knead the dough a few times in the bowl and a few more times on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough in two, shape into discs and wrap in plastic. Chill in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Working with one half of the dough at a time, roll out the dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the dough using a 3-inch round cookie cutter (you should get 12 pieces from each portion of dough). Put 1 teaspoon of the filling in the center of each circle (or whatever shape you choose). Fold the dough in half and press the edges together with a fork. Move to the prepared baking sheet.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until golden brown. Cool empanadas on wire racks.

For the glaze, stir together powdered sugar and rum. If the glaze is a little too thick, add water (or more rum) for desired consistency.  Drizzle on the empanadas and enjoy. 

 *Did you happen to notice the pineapple filling bubbling away?  The original recipe calls for using a fork to mash the cooked pineapple into smaller pieces.  Lesson learned - mashing steaming hot, juicy pineapple with a fork is not the smartest thing I've done.  Cool the pineapple before mashing or chop it into tiny pieces before cooking.  Your hand with thank you.