Apple rose tartlets are one of my favorite desserts to make for parties at home. I love serving them because they taste delicious and look beautiful on the table. They’re great for dinner parties, holiday get-togethers, or even a casual weekend with friends.
They’re much easier to make than they might seem, and you only need a handful of ingredients.
They’re a fun dessert to make when I’m cooking for a group. Thin apple slices are arranged over puff pastry, rolled into rose shapes, and sprinkled with cinnamon. The puff pastry turns buttery and crisp in the oven, while the apples add a natural sweetness.
I love making these when I want something that looks fancy but doesn’t take hours to make. They look beautiful when arranged together on a serving tray.
How to Make Apple Rose Tartlets
INGREDIENTS:
Ingredients for making Apple Roses
- 2 sheets French puff pastry
- 6 large apples
- 1 cup apple butter
- 2 lemons
- Water, as needed
- 2 eggs, beaten
- Cinnamon powder, as needed
Ingredients for making Sugar Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
Easy Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the apples: Wash and dry the apples. Cut each apple into 6 pieces and remove the cores. Using a mandoline slicer, thinly slice the apples.
2. Soften the apple slices: Bring water to a boil in a saucepan and add the juice of 1 lemon. Add the apple slices in batches and cook each batch for about 50 seconds, or until the slices are softened but still hold their shape. Be careful not to overcook them. Remove the apple slices and place them on a tray lined with paper towels. Let them cool completely before handling.
3. Prepare the puff pastry: If it’s a store-bought puff pastry, let it thaw at room temperature for about 2 hours. Now lay the pastry on a clean work surface and gently stretch it out. Spread apple butter all over the pastry sheet.
4. Cut the puff pastry into strips that are wide enough to fit inside the muffin tin.
5. Make the apple roses: Place the apple slices along one side of each pastry strip, slightly overlapping them and each other.
Here’s how I make one of the apple roses. Once you’ve arranged the apples, fold the other half of the pastry strip over them, being careful not to tear the dough. Starting from one end, gently roll the strip into a spiral to create a rose shape.
6. Bake the tartlets: Preheat the oven to 385°F (195°C). Grease a muffin tin and gently place each apple rose into a muffin cup. Brush the tops lightly with beaten egg.
Sprinkle a little cinnamon over the tops. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through.
7. Prepare the sugar syrup: While the apple roses are baking, prepare the syrup. Add water to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir in the sugar and lemon juice, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool.
8. Once the apple roses are baked, remove them from the oven and generously brush them with the prepared syrup while they are still warm. Wearing oven mitts, carefully remove the tartlets from the muffin tin and transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Let the tartlets cool before serving.
Serve and Enjoy!
You can also make these tartlets ahead of time and keep them at room temperature until you’re ready to serve. If you’re having guests over, you can make these ahead of time so they’re ready to go when everyone arrives.
Important Recipe Notes:
- Slice the apples evenly: You can slice the apples with a knife, but a mandoline slicer makes it much easier to get thin, even slices.
- Handle the apples gently: Use a slotted spoon to remove the softened apple slices from the boiling water. This helps prevent them from breaking.
- Lift the pastry carefully: The puff pastry may stick slightly to the surface while you’re assembling the roses. Use a knife to gently lift the pastry as you roll it to prevent it from tearing or sticking.
- No muffin tin? No problem: You can also bake the tartlets on a baking tray. Simply line the tray with parchment paper and place the prepared apple roses on it before baking.
- Prevent the apples from burning: If you notice that the apples are browning too quickly while the pastry still needs more time to cook, loosely cover the apple roses with aluminum foil. This keeps the apples from burning while the pastry finishes baking.
Apple Rose Tartlets
Ingredients
Method
- Prepare the apples: Wash, core, and thinly slice the apples using a mandoline slicer.
- Soften the apples: Boil water with the juice of 1 lemon. Cook the apple slices in batches for about 50 seconds, until softened but not mushy. Remove with a slotted spoon and cool on paper towels.
- Prepare the pastry: Thaw the puff pastry according to the package instructions. Gently stretch it out and spread a generous layer of apple butter over each sheet. Cut into strips wide enough to fit the muffin tin.
- Make the roses: Arrange the apple slices along one side of each pastry strip, overlapping them slightly. Fold the pastry over the apples and gently roll each strip into a rose.
- Bake: Preheat the oven to 385°F (195°C). Grease a muffin tin and place the apple roses inside. Brush with beaten egg and bake for about 45 minutes, or until golden and cooked through.
- Make the syrup: Boil the water, sugar, and lemon juice together. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 8 minutes, then let it cool.
- Finish: Brush the warm apple roses generously with the syrup. Carefully remove them from the muffin tin and cool on a wire rack before serving.