Baked Apple Roses

I’m so excited! It’s an extra special Wellness Wednesday today because I have an incredible guest star in today’s video teaching us how to make these beautiful Baked Apple Roses. The one and only Babé-le, my “grandma-in-law”, is a total domestic goddess and baking pro. She makes the most delicious cakes for everyone’s birthdays (and even did a special one for my bridal shower). She’s super talented in the kitchen and everything she makes is as pretty as could be. One of my absolute favorite things about Babé is she’s never afraid to try anything new. I’m always impressed when she runs out to the store to pick up a new healthy ingredient she just learned about in a recent blog post. The other day, I saw her drinking a giant bottle of matcha powder blended up with chia seeds and kale. She’s got a TON of energy (even without the matcha concoction!) and when she’s not cooking up a storm or writing stories for her book, she’s dancing around to her favorite Cuban music. QUITE the lady!

OK back to the apple roses! How cute are these?

All you need to make these is a good crust, thinly sliced apples, some fig jam, cinnamon and sugar. Let’s discuss options for the crust. You could make it real easy on yourself and buy frozen puff pastry at the grocery store. This is what Babé recommends because it’s easier to work with. Or you could go the healthier route and make your own paleo-friendly crust, which tends to be a little thicker and slightly more finicky. Either way will work out and be beautiful and delish!

Ingredients
Crust:
1 sheet of Pepperidge Farm puff pastry, thawed

OR make this paleo crust:

2 cups almond flour + 2 tablespoons
1/2 tsp pink salt
1 tbsp 100% maple syrup
2 tbsp coconut oil
1 egg

Filling:
2 red apples
A squeeze of lemon juice
2 tbsp fig jam
1 tbsp water
3 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
Powdered sugar for sprinkling

Yields 6 apple roses.

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Option 1: Thaw the puff pastry. Place on a floured countertop. Use a rolling pin to make the dough nice and thin. Option 2: Make paleo crust by adding all ingredients in a food processor and pulse through until the mixture
forms a ball. Then, on a floured surface, roll out the dough nice and thin with a rolling pin.
Cut the dough into 6 even strips. Set aside.
3. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray. Mix cinnamon and sugar together. Sprinkle 1 tsp of mixture into
the bottom of 6 muffin cups.
4. Cut the apples in half, remove the core, and then cut the top and bottom off the apple. Cut apple into
paper-thin slices (or use a mandoline) and place into a bowl. Squeeze lemon juice over apple slices to avoid browning.

5. Microwave the apples in the bowl for about a minute to make them softer and easier to bend.
6. In a small bowl, combine fig jam with 1 tbsp water. Brush a thin layer on each strip of dough.
7. Arrange the apple slices on the dough, overlapping each other. Make sure the part of the apple with the red peel is sticking out of the top of the strip of dough (as pictured below).
8. Fold up the bottom of the dough. Starting from one end, carefully roll the dough, keeping the apple slices in place.
Once rolled, place in a muffin cup. Repeat with each strip to make 6 roses. Sprinkle each with cinnamon sugar mixture.
9. Bake for 30 minutes, if using paleo crust. If using puff pastry, bake for about 40-45 minutes.
10. Remove from oven, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and serve!