Apple Rosettes

Many of us scroll through Pinterest for inspiration. We create boards, pinning with gay abandon. Some of us even go back and try out saved pins. I have a few boards, as I am a sporadic pinner. Going through old boards I find this recipe pin. The rosettes look ever so tempting so I feel compelled to make an attempt inspite of the complexities involved. The other instigation is a bunch of stale apples. The Pinterest products look beautiful. But will I get that effect, is the hundred dollar question!

One recipe calls for apple slices to be soaked in ginger ale. I have none. Another says to soak them in warm water. Cored and thinly sliced, I soak them in warm water with a squeeze of lemon juice. They remain stiff. Another recipe recommends microwaving them. They get zapped in several short bursts. Still not pliable. What the heck! Let me try drowning them in hot water. Et voila! Success! With a short soak they become pliant and soft. This will allow them to be rolled and wrapped, which is the next complicated step!

Shortcrust pastry is the base. Store bought pastry is a great option. I make my own. Rolled into a rectangle, the pastry is cut into one inch thick strips. Apple slices are drained and patted dry. The semi circles are arranged on the pastry strip, overlapping slightly. Dusted with sugar and cinnamon, the strip is gently rolled, then placed in a mini muffin pan. The baked rosettes are brushed with an apricot glaze and eagerly popped into my mouth! 

 

APPLE ROSETTES

Adapted from Pinterest

Makes 12-16

Pastry

1 1/4 cup all purpose Flour

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

1 tablespoon Sugar

4 tablespoons cold Butter

1/3 cup ice cold Water

2 small red Apples

Lemon Juice

Hot Water

Sugar

Cinnamon Powder

Glaze

2 tablespoons Apricot Jam

1 teaspoon Sugar

2 tablespoons Water

Make the pastry by whisking flour, salt and sugar.

Grate cold butter and add to flour. Use your fingers to rub butter into flour.

Add cold water gradually till the dough comes together as ball. 

Pat dough into a rectangle, place in a clean plastic bag and refrigerate for 15 minutes. 

The above steps can also be done in a food processor. Pulse the flour and butter till dough looks like small peas and comes together in your fingers. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gather into a ball. Pat dough into a rectangle, place in a clean plastic bag and refrigerate for 15 minutes. 

Cut apples in half and core the centers. 

Place the apples cut side down and slice into 1/16 inches, that is very thin slices, but thick enough that you can see the red peel. This happens with trial and error. The slices need to be thin enough to soften and bend without breaking.  

Put the slices in a bowl. 

Heat 4 cups of water till almost boiling. Pour water over apples.

Squeeze a little lemon juice over the apples. 

Stir the apples and let them soak for 5 minutes.

Drain apples and pat dry. 

Use a mini muffin pan to make the rosettes. If it isn't nonstick, butter the bottom and sides of the muffin depressions. Regular muffin pans will result in the rosettes spreading  as they bake. If you dont have mini muffin pans, use the mini cupcake paper holders.  Place those in regular muffin pans. I havent tried this, but I think the principle is the same.

Take pastry out of the fridge. 

Lightly flour your counter. 

Dust pastry with a little flour and roll it into a 12x6 inch rectangle. The pastry should be 1/8 inch thick.

Use a ruler and pizza cutter to cut the pastry lenghtwise into 1 inch thin strips.  Divide and cut each strip into one that is 6 inches long. You should have 12 6-inch long strips. 

Start by placing 1 apple slice just under the top end of the strip, beginning on the left. The skin side should be facing towards you and the flat end on the pastry. Part of the slice will be on the pastry and part off the pastry. Place a second slice,  slightly overlapping the first. Continue with overlapping slices till you reach the end of the strip. You might use 6-7 slices depending on their size. 

Dust apples with sugar and cinnamon. 

Start rolling the strip from the left. Gently roll.  Place the roll apple side up in the muffin tin. 

Finish the other strips in the same manner.

Dust rosettes with a little sugar.

Once the rosettes are done refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Heat the oven to 400F/230C.

Bake rosettes for 30 minutes. 

While rosettes bake, make the glaze by combining apricot jam, sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat on low flame for 7-8 minutes. Strain glaze though a fine mesh. You will get a smooth thick liquid.

Take rosettes out of the oven. Cool for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to nudge the rosettes out of the muffin tins. Place them on a platter. 

Brush the glaze over the apple petals. 

They taste best warm. 

When the end result is like the inspiration, the sense of satisfaction is overwhelming... very Pinteresting!

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