These Apple Rose Tarts have officially been on Weeknight Bite for 10 years, so it felt like the perfect time to give this recipe a little refresh! They’re made with flaky puff pastry, thinly sliced apples, and fig jam, then rolled up into the prettiest little roses. They look fancy, but once you get the rolling technique down, they’re surprisingly simple to make. Make sure to watch the step-by-step of this recipe here!
And while I’ve updated the recipe and instructions to make them easier and more foolproof, I had to keep a little piece of the original post because this recipe came from someone very special to me — my grandma-in-law, Babé.
From the original post: “Today’s recipe comes from someone extra special…The one and only Babé-le, my ‘grandma-in-law,’ a total domestic goddess and baking pro. She makes the most delicious cakes for everyone’s birthdays and everything she makes is as pretty and artistic 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 my 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 about her life, she’s dancing around to her favorite Cuban music. QUITE the lady!”
Ten years later, Babé is still as inspiring, and I still love this recipe she taught me just as much I did back then. It’s one of those desserts that looks so impressive on a platter but only takes a handful of simple ingredients to make. They’re perfect for fall entertaining, Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving, a brunch spread, or anytime you want an easy dessert with a little wow factor.
Ingredients
makes 6 apple roses
1 sheet puff pastry*, thawed
2 red, fuji, or gala apples
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
3 tbsp fig jam
Sprinkle of ground cinnamon
Powdered sugar, for serving
*note: I have used regular puff pastry as well as Sweet Loren’s gluten-free puff pastry in this recipe. The Sweet Loren’s one is a little thicker and doesn’t puff as much as a traditional puff pastry, but it is a great option for GF. Make sure to roll it thin with the rolling pin, and note that it takes a bit less time to bake. Start checking around 25-30 minutes.
Print RecipeInstructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease 6 cups of a muffin pan. Sprinkle a little cinnamon in the bottom of each greased muffin cup.
- Cut the apples in half, slice the top and bottom, and remove the cores. Place the apple half on the flat side and cut into very thin slices (about 1/8-inch thick) or use a mandoline to slice them.
- Place the apple slices in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with water, and lemon juice into the bowl. Microwave for 3–5 minutes, until the apples are soft enough to bend without breaking. Drain the water, pat the apples with a paper towel, and set aside.
- Unroll the thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and gently use a rolling pin to roll it out a little thinner. With a knife or pizza cutter, cut the puff pastry into 5-6 equal strips (depends on the size of your puff pastry). Each strip should be about 2 inches wide.
- Spread a thin layer (about 1/2 tbsp) of fig jam over each strip of pastry.
- Arrange the apple slices along the top half of each pastry strip, overlapping them slightly with the red peel sticking out above the pastry. (I used about 5-6 apple slices per strip.)
- Sprinkle the apples with cinnamon, then fold the bottom half of the pastry up over the apples. Starting at one end, gently roll the pastry and apples towards the other end, tucking the apples in as needed if they shift, until you have a rose shape.
- Place the rolled up apple rose into the prepared muffin cup. Repeat with the remaining pastry strips.
- For standard puff pastry, bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and cooked through. (If using Sweet Loren’s gluten-free, it will be closer to 30 minutes).
- Let cool for 5–10 minutes, carefully remove from the muffin pan, and finish with powdered sugar.
- For an extra pretty detail, arrange the apple roses on a platter for serving and place mint leaves under the rose tarts to look more like roses. Enjoy!
Tips for Perfect Apple Roses
- The biggest secret is getting the apples really thin and flexible. If they’re too thick or still firm, they’ll crack or pop out when you try to roll the pastry. A mandoline makes this especially easy, but a sharp knife works too.
- Make sure your puff pastry is thawed but still cold. Warm puff pastry gets sticky and difficult to work with. If yours gets too soft while you’re assembling the roses, pop it back into the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
- Don’t stress about making every rose identical! Once they puff up and bake, all of those slightly different apple slices create the prettiest petals.
Can I Make These Gluten-Free?
Yes, see note above in the recipe section! Sweet Loren’s gluten-free puff pastry is a great option if you need them to be gluten-free. But just keep in mind that gluten-free puff pastry can have a slightly different texture and may not puff or handle exactly like traditional puff pastry, so they’ll be a little less light and flaky and a little thicker. Cook time also varies from regular puff pastry and may be done a few minutes before.
Looking back at the original post from 10 years ago makes this recipe extra special. My cooking style, and Weeknight Bite, may have changed quite a bit since then, but I love that a recipe Babé-le taught me all those years ago is still one worth making today. Hope you all enjoy these festive roses as much as we do!
