This recipe has no sourdough involved, but it's such a great and easy way to end up with a half dozen yummy red roses you get to eat. A Valentine treat — or a treat for any day someone you love could use a rose.
- ½ package puff pastry sheets (1 sheet), thawed
- 2 red apples (bright red if possible, like Red Delicious)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (from ½ lemon)
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, to sprinkle the counter
- 3 tablespoons apricot preserves
- Ground cinnamon (optional)
Directions for the chef
Thaw the puff pastry at room temperature — about 20–30 minutes.
Prepare a bowl half filled with water and the lemon juice. Cut the apples in half, remove the core, and cut into paper-thin slices. Leave the peel on — that's what gives your roses their red color. Place the slices in the lemon water right away so they won't brown.
Microwave the apples in the bowl for about 3 minutes to make them slightly softer and easy to roll. (You can also simmer the slices with the water in a small pan on the stove.) The slices should be cooked just enough to bend without breaking. If they break, cook them a little more.
Unwrap the puff pastry on a clean, lightly floured counter. Using a rolling pin, stretch the dough into a rectangle about 12 × 9 inches (30 × 22 cm). Cut the dough into 6 strips, each about 2 × 9 inches (5 × 22 cm).
In a bowl, combine the apricot preserves with two tablespoons of water. Microwave for about one minute (or warm on the stove) so the preserves spread easily. Spread a thin layer on each strip of dough.
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Drain the apples.
Arrange the apple slices along each strip, overlapping one another, with the skin side sticking a little out over the edge. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Fold up the bottom half of the dough over the slices.
Starting from one end, carefully roll the dough, keeping the apple slices in place. Seal the edge with your finger and place each rose in a muffin cup. No need to grease a silicone mold; otherwise, grease with butter and flour (or spray).
Bake at 375°F (190°C) for about 40–45 minutes, until fully cooked.
Jan's notes: Make sure the pastry is fully cooked on the inside before pulling the roses from the oven. If the apples start to darken after the first 30 minutes, move the pan to a lower rack or cover loosely with foil for the last 10–15 minutes. Dust with powdered sugar and enjoy.
These are best eaten right after baking, warm and crisp. They keep in an airtight container at room temperature up to two days, or refrigerated up to three — a few minutes in the oven brings them back. Treat yourself, or someone you love, to beautiful rose pastries.