When you’re looking for a super-pretty, super-easy dessert, look no further than apple roses. These pretty pastries look look like you hired a professional pastry chef… when in reality it’s you (and possibly your kids) just having fun in the kitchen.
This treat was inspired by the beloved children’s classic book “The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. In honor of the Little Prince and his “Rose” we made these apple roses, which look delicate and difficult but they’re really a fairly easy dessert to put together.
Constructing Apple Roses
You’re going to start by slicing two apples from top to bottom, then carefully taking the core out without splitting the apple in half (it’s OK even if you don’t make a perfect round cut). You’ll soak these apples in lemon juice and cook them so they are a little soft and more easy to bend.
Then you roll out a large rectangle of puff pastry, slice it, brush it with jam, and line up the apples (like overlapping rainbows):
Then flip up the bottom half of the dough and fold it down (“tuck them into bed”):
…and you’re ready to roll!
Place the apple rolls carefully into a greased muffin tin…
…Then bake, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve. Perfection!
Apple Roses
Pretty little apple "rose" pastries that are surprisingly easy to make.
Ingredients
- 2 red apples (we used Honeycrisp)
- 1 lemon, juiced plus equal amount of water
- flour
- 1 frozen puff pastry rectangle (usually two in a box)
- 1/4 cup strawberry jam (or substitute other flavor)
- 1 tsp. water
- powdered sugar
Instructions
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Prepare the apples: Slice the apples in half from top to bottom and remove the core from the center of the apple without splitting it. Lay the apple cut side down on a cutting board and cut the apple into slices as thinly as possible (1/16th of an inch). Place the apple slices in a bowl filled with the lemon juice plus an equal amount of water. Microwave the apples in the lemon water for about three minutes to soften them.
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Prepare the dough: Sprinkle a cutting board with flour and roll out the pastry sheet as thinly as possible. Cut it into six long strips.
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Prepare the jam: Mix the jam with the 1 tsp. of water and put it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir to combine so that it has a thick syrup-like consistency.
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Assemble the apples: Lay the pastry strips down and brush
jam over each one. Place the apple slices along the top half of each strip,
laid out like overlapping rainbows. Fold up the bottom half of the strip, then
carefully roll up each one until you have a rose. -
Place the roses in greased muffin tins and bake for 35
minutes at 375 degrees. Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired. Serve warm or at room temperature.
These roses are even easier to make if you have a helping hand (even a little hand!) to get all of the apple slices lined up. The best part is when it all comes together in a rose shape. You may be doubting that you’re doing it right until you make the final roll up and then – voila! – a perfect rose is right in your hand.
Did you enjoy making these? You’ll also like these Hidden Rose Apple Roses, or even these Heirloom Tomato Roses.
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Thanks for this! I was looking for a Little Prince-themed recipe. I kept breaking the apples or pushing them out of the dough at first, but I got the hang of it and even the ones that didn’t look great tasted good.
Thanks for stopping by, Claire! Yes, it seems a little tricky at first but before you know it you’re a pastry artist! Glad you tried it! 🙂