Puff Pastry Baked Apple Roses with Hibiscus Syrup

Hi there! Tomorrow (as every decoration around town has probably reminded you by now) is Valentine’s Day, so I thought I would gift you roses, but not just any kind of roses: Baked Apple Roses with Puff Pastry.

Why You Should Make this Recipe

Perfect for any occasion, from Valentine’s Day to Christmas, Thanksgiving or even your afternoon teatime, these easy Baked Apple Roses will be the perfect no-fuss dessert when you want to impress your guests.

What You Need to Make this Recipe

Appliances/Tools

MandolinSslicer or Sharp Knife = ever since I bought my mandolin off Amazon (similar to this one), I haven’t sliced single potato, onion or apple. Have I become lazy? Maybe. Does it make the task easier? Absolutely! Not only it is much faster, but slicing the apple with a mandolin ensures you get homogenous slices. Do not worry, if you do not own a mandolin, you can always use a sharp knife.

Muffin Molds = this is essential. You can use a regular muffin pan or a silicone one. I do not have a silicon mold, but I can say it is the better option for these Baked Apple Roses: no risk of the puff pastry sticking to the pan (speaking from experience).

Silicone Brush (optional) = to spread the syrup. If you do not have one, you can use a teaspoon: pour a teaspoon of syrup and use the back of the teaspoon to spread it.

Apple Corer (optional) = totally optional. Again, a knife will do the job: a corer simply makes things easier.

Ingredients

Apples = red apples are the best for this recipe. If you want to be more creative you can use one red apple and one yellow apple, for aesthetic purposes. Do not peel the apples: the peel gives color to the roses.

Puff Pastry = frozen or refrigerated. If possible, buy the refrigerated one: it is ready-to-use!

Lemon Juice = apples brown fast: add lemon juice to avoid that.  

Hibiscus Syrup (or Red Fruit Syrup) = hibiscus syrup is not always easy to find in stores. You can use this recipe if you’re willing to make it from scratch. An alternative: red fruit syrup or red fruit jam diluted with water.

Sugar = white sugar is preferable: inside the roses as well as outside as icing.

Cinnamon Powder = it gives that je ne sais quoi.

Oil = to lightly grease the pan. If using a silicone mold, this step is not necessary.

How to make these Baked Apple Roses

Preparing the Sliced Apples

Step 1: If frozen, thaw the puff pastry. 

Step 2: Preheat the oven at 180 °C (365 °F). Lightly grease a muffin pan (skip this step if using a silicone mold).

Step 3: Cut the apple in half (you should get a half-moon shape) and remove the core. Using a mandolin or a knife, thinly slice the apples. You can also slice the apple whole and then cut the slice into halves, but it results in more work.

Step 4:

• Microwave = Place the slices into a large bowl, cover with water, add the lemon juice. Heat for 3-4 minutes. The apples should be soft, easy to bend.

• Pan = Fill a saucepan with water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil then add the apple slices. Cook for 45-60 seconds, until soft, easy to bend.

Step 5: Scoop out the sliced apples. Let cool down.

Step 6: Roll out the puff pastry and cut each sheet into 2 to 2 ¼ slices (5 to 6 cm). You should have 6 segments per puff pastry sheet.

Prep the Roses

Step 7: Spread some syrup lengthwise with a silicone brush or teaspoon.

Step 8: Lay the apple slices along the strip of pastry, overlapping slightly and with the skin side sticking out of the pastry.

Step 9: In a small bowl, mix the sugar with the cinnamon. Sprinkle over the apples and syrup. Leave some for dusting.

Step 10: Fold the bottom half of the pastry up, enclosing the bottom of the apple slices.

Step 11: Starting from one side of the pastry, start rolling the pastry until the end. Lightly press to seal the edges. Immediately place the rose in the muffin pan. You should have 12 roses in total.

Step 12: Repeat the process for all the roses and bake for 30 minutes, until golden around the edges. 

Step 13: Cool completely before dusting with sugar and cinnamon.

How to Store and Reheat Baked Apple Roses?

Freezer: Once cooled down, transfer the Baked Apple Roses to freezer bags container and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 weeks. 

Refrigerator: Once cooled down, transfer the Baked Apple Roses to airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days 

Reheating: Reheat in a preheated oven.

If you enjoy Apple and Hibiscus recipes, check the links below:

• Baked Apples Stuffed with Hazelnut and Amaretti
• Apple Ravioli with Raspberry, Hibiscus Sauce
• Hibiscus Fruit Salad with Mint and Basil
• Almond Financiers with Hibiscus and White Chocolate Sauce

Well, without further ado, scroll down for the detailed recipe and video instructions.