You will LOVE these Mini Apple Rose Desserts. The healthy aspect of apples was another good reason. At the encouragement of a few friends, I’m now embarking on a Puff Pastry series. These Mini Apple Rose Desserts are the first of this series. This recipe, along with the other recipes that are soon to follow, is super simple, pretty to look at, fun to make and downright delicious.
A similar method to these Mini Apple Rose Desserts has been floating around for awhile. I sent it to a friend to check it out. She took the concept, ran with it and came up with a version I love. It may look hard, but it isn’t at all. The results are simply amazing.
Mini Apple Rose Desserts
Ingredients: Makes 18 mini apple roses
- 1 full sheet of puff pastry
- 2 to 3 apples sliced as thin as possible
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice mixed in a bowl of water
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons jam; raspberry or apricot
- 1 to 2 teaspoons water to thin jam (the amount of water may depend on how thick the jam is)
- Flour to roll out puff pastry
Directions:
Defrost the puff pastry as directed. Preheat oven to 400° F.
Butter one or two mini muffin pans, enough to hold 18 mini apple rose desserts. Prepare the apples by slicing as thinly as you can; I found a mandolin to be very helpful. Place the apple slices in a bowl of water and lemon juice to prevent oxidation. Thin the jam with water in a small bowl. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set each of these items aside.
On a clean surface, roll out the defrosted puff pastry and cut the puff pastry sheet lengthwise into 3 equal size rectangles. Place two of the rectangles in the refrigerator to keep chilled. Dust a clean surface with flour and roll out the rectangle as thin as possible, about double in size, measuring approximately 11 x 5.5″. Cut the rolled out rectangle in half (in the middle of the long side) and then cut each half into thirds, lengthwise, making 6 long rectangles.
Drain the apple slices and pat them dry with a few paper towels. To make the apples more pliable spread them out on a plate and microwave them, a few batches at a time, on high for 15 to 20 seconds. Remove the apples; allow them to cool a bit.
Sprinkle each rectangle with the cinnamon and sugar mixture down the middle of each of the strips. Spread the mixture around a bit if needed. Spread a small amount of the thinned jam on top of the sugar mixture, down the middle of each rectangle, staying away from the edges.
Start placing 5 to 6 apple slices on the top half of puff pastry, overlapping as you go. Fold the bottom half of the puff pastry on top of apple slices. Roll the apples and puff pastry into a tight cylinder to allow them to fit nicely in the mini muffin tin. Place the rolls in the prepared muffin tin as you go.
Repeat with the two refrigerated pieces. You will have 18 mini apple roses in all.
Sprinkle a bit of sugar over each rose and bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the Mini Apple Rose Desserts from the muffin tin and cool for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes: The key to this recipe is to work a portion at a time, keeping the puff pastry cold until you’re ready to make the rest of your roses. I found it helpful to work on one rectangle at a time leaving the others in the fridge. Doing this will keep the puff pastry cold making it easier to work with as you go. As an alternative, you can use pears in place of the apples. You can also use any flavor of jam you like. I prefer raspberry and apricot. If you have any leftovers, refrigerate them in a sealed container and then reheat them in 350° F oven for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
The fact is, it takes way longer to explain the process then it does to make these Mini Apple Rose Desserts. Being the perfectionist I am, I wanted to ensure you’re able to have great success making these guys, and you’re able to wow your friends with what you’ve made.
Time to eat…
If you enjoyed my “Mini Apple Rose Desserts,” check out my Chocolate Kiss Peanut Butter Cookies, Crispy Chocolate Bars, or my Chocolate Pots. Enjoy.
P.S. Take a moment to check out and purchase some of the tools I used for this “Mini Apple Rose Desserts” below. 🙂