Name: Debra Marmor
Class Year: 1980
Country of Residence: United Kingdom

Why is this recipe great? What’s its backstory? 

I was first attracted to this recipe by the photo. It just looks so pretty. I’ll admit I haven’t quite mastered this one, perhaps because I’m using the wrong pastry (don’t have access to Pepperidge Farm puff pastry) or because I was trying to make them in mini-form. However, if you can get the pastry to do its thing (puff) and fully cook without burning the apples, they are impressive: gorgeous as well as tasty.

Apple Roses

Serves 6. Takes approx. 2 hours.

Ingredients:

1/2 pkg Puff Pastry Sheets (1 sheet), thawed
2 red apples
2 Tbsp lemon juice (from 1/2 lemon)
1 Tbsp all-purpose flour, to sprinkle counter
3 Tbsp apricot preserves or ground cinnamon

Instructions:

1. Thaw puff pastry at room temperature. should take ca 20-30 minutes.
2. Prepare bowl half filled with water and lemon juice. 
3. Cut apples in half, remove core; cut apples in paper-thin slices. Leave peel so will give red color to roses. 
4. Right away, place sliced apples in bowl so won’t change color.
5. Microwave apples in bowl ca 3 minutes, to make slightly softer and easy to roll.  If prefer, can also simmer apple slices with water in small pan on stove. Apple slices should be cooked just enough to bend without breaking. If break, need to cook a little more.
6. Unwrap puff pastry over clean, lightly floured counter. 
7. Using rolling pin stretch dough into rectangular shape ca 12×9” (30 x 22 cm). 
8. Cut dough in 6 strips, each ca 2×9” (5 x 22 cm).
9. In bowl, place apricot preserves with 2 Tbsp of water. 
10. Microwave ca 1 minute (or warm up on stove) so that preserves will be easier to spread. 
11. Spread thin layer of preserves on each strip of dough.
12. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Drain apples.
13. Arrange apple slices on dough, overlapping one another. Make sure top (skin side) of slices sticks a little out of strip. 
14. (Sprinkle with cinnamon.) [I would call this optional]
15. Fold up bottom part of dough.
16. Starting from 1 end, carefully roll dough, keeping apple slices in place. 
17. Seal edge at end, pressing with finger; place in regular muffin cup. No need to grease muffin mold if silicone. Otherwise, make sure to grease with butter and flour (or spray).
18. Do the same for all 6 roses. 
19. Bake at 375°F (190°C) ca 40-45 minutes, until fully cooked. Make sure pastry fully cooked on inside before removing roses from oven! If after 1st 30 minutes apples start to burn on top, move pan to lower rack of oven; finish baking. Can also cover loosely with aluminum foil for these last 10-15 minutes, to avoid burning top. 
20. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy!

Source: puffpastry.com (Pepperidge Farm)