Apple Roses

Ingredients:

(for about 11 roses):

1 puff pastry sheet (about 250gr - 1/2lbs, can be more)
3 apples (which ever you like, i used 'Golden Delicious' )
5 Tbsp granulated white sugar (or brown sugar, or a mix of both)
1 Tbsp vanilla sugar (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 lemon (juice and zest) 
2 Tbsp of warm apricot jam

Directions:

-Slice the apples in very thin slices.
-Place the apples into a saucepan, cover it with warm water, add 2 Tbsp sugar and the lemon juice. Bring the water to boil, (not more than 2 minutes) until the apple slices turn soft and flexible.
-Use strainer to drain the apples, place them a clean cloth or paper towel and let the dry and cool off (I let them rest for 15 minutes)

-Mix 3 Tbsp of sugar with the cinnamon,vanilla sugar and the lemon zest. Lay (or enroll) the puff pastry sheet down on a baking sheet , sprinkle it with the sugar-cinnamon mixture and cut with a pastry cutter long and 1,5 cm / 1/2 inch wide stripes. Btw I used a pizza cutter:)

Preheat the oven to 390F / 200C 

Take the apple slices and place them on the strips, overlapping them this will make the rose-like design (petals) of the pastry. 

Now start rolling, making sure it is fairly tightly rolled.

Place the roses on a baking sheet or use a greased muffin pan ( I tried both, and they
work equally good, but I prefer the muffin pan, it keeps the roses in a better shape)

Bake it for 25-30 minutes, until they are golden brown. Now brush the still warm roses with hot apricot jam ( just heat it up in the microwave). This will give the rose a beautiful shiny gloss, and also prevents the apple to dry out! - I love glazing my puff pastry cakes and fruits with it:)

Source: Baking Love with Krisztina