Description
Delight in these elegant Apple Roses, a beautiful and delicious pastry made with tender baked apple slices wrapped in flaky puff pastry, glazed with a buttery brown sugar and brandy mixture. Perfect for impressing guests or enjoying a sophisticated dessert at home.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Apples
- 2 Pink Lady or Honeycrisp apples, cored and thinly sliced
- Juice of 1 orange
For the Butter Mixture
- 4 Tbsp. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. brandy
Other Ingredients
- 2 sheets puff pastry, thawed if frozen and kept cold in refrigerator
- 1 Tbsp. turbinado sugar
- Cooking spray (for greasing muffin tin)
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare the pan: Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C). Coat a standard 12-cup muffin tin thoroughly with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Soften and prepare apples: In a medium bowl, toss the thinly sliced apples with the juice of one orange to prevent browning and add a light citrus flavor. Spread the apples in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet, allowing some overlap, and bake for about 5 minutes until the apple slices become soft but not mushy. Let them cool slightly to handle.
- Make the butter filling: In a small bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter, packed light brown sugar, and brandy. Stir well until smooth and uniform; this mixture will add richness and sweetness to the pastry strips.
- Prepare puff pastry strips: Cut each puff pastry sheet into 6 strips, each approximately 10 to 12 inches long, for a total of 12 strips. Using a small spatula, spread the butter, sugar, and brandy mixture evenly over each strip, ensuring complete coverage.
- Arrange apples on pastry: Position the buttered side towards you. Lay 10 to 12 apple slices on top of each strip with the skin side facing up and the cut side down. Overlap the apple slices slightly so they extend beyond the top edge of the strip to create a rose petal effect when rolled.
- Roll and assemble: Carefully roll up each pastry strip tightly, ensuring the apple slices stay upright and evenly exposed. Place each rolled apple rose upright in the prepared muffin tin cups to maintain shape during baking.
- Bake the apple roses: Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes until the puff pastry is fully puffed, golden brown, and cooked through.
- Finishing touches: Remove the apple roses from the oven and sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar for a sparkly, sweet finish. Let cool slightly before serving.
- Make ahead tips: Apple roses can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature. The butter mixture can be made 1 day ahead and refrigerated, then brought to room temperature before use.
Notes
- Use tart and crisp apples like Pink Lady or Honeycrisp for the best texture and flavor.
- Ensure your puff pastry is cold before starting to make it easier to handle and roll.
- Overlapping apple slices slightly ensures a beautiful rose petal effect when baked.
- Be careful not to bake the apples too long in the initial step, just until they soften to avoid mushy petals.
- Store the finished apple roses at room temperature in an airtight container; avoid refrigeration to keep the pastry flaky.
- You can substitute brandy with apple juice or a fruit liqueur if preferred.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 apple rose
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
