Apple puff pastry roses

So simple to make and the end result is sure to impress your guests. These are best enjoyed straight out of the oven with a sprinkling of icing sugar on top and maybe a little bit of whipped cream or custard on the side.

Ingredients: 

• 2 sheet puff pastry sheets thawed
• 2 red apples
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
• 1 tablespoon flour, to sprinkle the counter
• 3 tablespoons apricot jam or cinnamon

Method:

Preheat the oven to 190°C and spray a 6 hole muffin tin with a bit of oil to grease.

Half fill a bowl with water and add 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 colour to your roses. Right away, place the sliced apples in the bowl so that they won’t change colour.

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.

Place the pastry on a lightly floured counter. Cut the dough into 6 strips, each about 5 x 22 cm.

In a bowl, place three tablespoons of apricot jam with two tablespoons of water and microwave for about one minute. Spread a thin layer of preserves on each strip of dough.

Drain the apples and arrange the apple slices on the dough, overlapping one another. Make sure the top (skin side) of the slices sticks a little out of the strip. Sprinkle with cinnamon.

Fold up the bottom part of the dough. Starting from one end, carefully roll the dough, keeping the apple slices in place. Seal the edge at the end, pressing with your finger, and place in the muffin tin.

Do the same for all 6 roses. Bake for about 40-45 minutes, until fully cooked.

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.