Apple Roses

When I think fall, I think of apples. These are a great spin on the traditional apple pie. Serve with vanilla ice cream for a delicious treat!

BAKED APPLE ROSES

Makes 12 roses

2 red apples (try to get really red ones for these to be really pretty)
2 sheets puff pastry, thawed in refrigerator overnight
juice of ½ of a lemon
6 tablespoons of apricot preserves
cinnamon
powdered sugar

Thaw the puff pastry in the refrigerator overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375º F.

Prepare a bowl half-filled with water and the lemon juice.

Cut the apples in half, remove the core and cut the apples in paper-thin slices. Leave the peel so it will give the red color to your roses.

Right away, place the sliced apples in the bowl so that they won't change color.

Microwave the apples in the bowl for about 3 minutes, to make them slightly softer and easy to roll.  If you prefer, you can also simmer the apple slices with the water in a small pan (on the stove). The apple slices should be cooked just enough to bend without breaking. If they break, you need to cook them a little more.

Unwrap the puff pastry on a sheet of parchment paper.

Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangular shape of about 12 x 9 inch.

Cut each piece of dough in 6 strips, each about 2 x 9 inch.

In a bowl, place three tablespoons of apricot preserves with two tablespoons of water. Microwave for about one minute (or warm up on the stove) so that the preserve will be easier to spread.

Spread a thin layer of preserve on each strip of dough. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Drain the apples.

Arrange the apple slices on the dough, overlapping each other. Make sure the top (skin side) of the slices sticks above the strip. It should take about 6 slices of apple per strip of dough.

Starting from one end, carefully roll the dough, keeping the apple slices in place. I roll with my left hand and hold the apples in place with my right.

Seal the edge at the end, pressing with your finger, and place in a regular muffin cup. No need to grease the muffin mold if it's silicone. Otherwise, make sure to grease with butter and flour (or spay).

Do the same for all 12 roses.

At this point you can put plastic wrap on top of the muffin tin and put in the refrigerator until ready to bake. Bake in the next 1-2 days. Take directly from the refrigerator and put into a hot oven.

Bake at 375 º F for about 40-45 minutes, until fully cooked. Make sure the pastry is fully cooked on the inside before removing the roses from the oven! If after the first 30 minutes the apples start to burn on top, move the pan to a lower rack of the oven and finish baking. You can also cover loosely with aluminum foil for these last 10-15 minutes, to avoid burning the top.

Dust with powdered sugar and serve with a side scoop of ice cream if desired.

These are best eaten right after baking, when still warm and crisp.

They can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to three days. You can always warm them up for a few minutes by placing in the oven before serving.