9.27.2020
recipe | romanian style puff pastry with apple filling
I posted on my instagram stories over the weekend that I was baking something that involved apples and several of you asked if I would share the recipe, so here I am, coming at you with yet another dessert recipe. today, I am going to share how to make a romanian style puff pastry with apple filling. fair warning, this recipe calls for you to have some time on your hands as prepping the filling can be a little time-consuming (as most romanian recipes are).
growing up, my great aunt would put this filling into cozonac or placinta -- which the Romanian version of a sweet loaf and mini pies. my mom would substitute the sweet loaf dough with puff pastry sheets to cut down the prep time and it's probably my favorite hack ever.
buuuuuuut, enough with the rambling -- let's get to the recipe!
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
Puff Pastry
1 box; unthawed at the time of baking.
Apples
14 medium-sized.
I used a mix of golden + red delicious apples, but you can use any apple variation in this recipe.
Eggs
1
Butter
1/3 of a stick
Sugar
to taste
Cinnamon
to taste
+++++++ PREP TIME: 1 HR ++++++++ BAKE TIME: 30 TO 45 MINS +++++++
How to Make
step one.
you're going to need to wash your apples and peel them.
this is really time-consuming, so I used my kitchen aid mixer and a peeling extension!
if you don't have a mixer, then an apple peeler is a good investment for this.
step two.
you're going to want to remove the stem and halve the apples.
pit them and take off any remaining skin.
step three.
in a large bowl, grate your apples!
you're going to want to use a medium-sized grater.
as you grate your apples, you're going to notice that there is a lot of juice in your bowl -- this is normal and will be addressed in the next step, so whatever you do, don't panic.
step four.
strain the apple juice from the grated flesh of the apple.
to do this, take a handful of grated apple and place in a strainer.
then over another large bowl, press the apple with your fist (or wooden spoon)
until all the juice comes out. place the freshly pressed apple in a clean large bowl when you're done.
I do this cycle twice as I do not want a soggy puff pastry.
mini side step
after you've completed step four, pour the apple juice into a pitcher and place it in the fridge to chill.
you now have fresh-pressed apple cider at your disposal! drink within five days.
step five.
take the 1/3 stick of butter and melt in a nonstick frying pan.
add your apples and then sprinkle cinnamon + sugar on top.
cook until apples are tender, making sure they do not start to burn.
in regards to the amount of cinnamon and sugar, it really depends on your preference and on the sweetness of the apples you are using.
for the sugar -- normally, I take a regular spoon from the utensil drawer, and measure the sugar that way. one spoon of sugar in the mixture, mix it in and taste. I do this until I can taste a hint of sweetness.
for the cinnamon, sprinkle how much you'd like as cinnamon is an acquired taste. I typically lightly sprinkle some on top of the apples right before I cook them and taste. if I can't taste a little bit of cinnamon midway, I mix in another light sprinkling of cinnamon halfway.
step six.
after apple mixture is cooked, let sit for about 10 minutes to chill.
in the meantime, roll out your puff pastry sheets and slowly and gently press upward on the ends to elongate the sheet without tearing it.
step seven.
grab your apple filling and place a layer of apples on your pastry sheet, leaving about an inch from the sides.
step eight.
now, roll the sheet inward and turn over.
gently press the ends of the sheets together in addition to the body of the roll.
we're doing this so apple filling won't leak from the roll when in the oven.
step nine.
now, lightly spray a baking pan with non-stick cooking oil and place your roll on pan.
take a knife and carefully cut through the roll about half an inch.
step ten.
beat an egg and then with a pastry brush, add the egg to the top of your rolls.
sprinkle cinnamon on top rolls.
then place into an oven that was preheated to 350 degrees for about 30 to 45 minutes or until pastry is golden brown.
step eleven.
let pastry cool for about 30 minutes and then cut along the roll and place on a serving dish.
sprinkle powdered sugar on top if desired.
serve and enjoy!
another mini sidestep.
this pastry is also delicious if served cold.
I place leftovers in the fridge overnight and pair this cold pastry to a creamy cup of coffee!
annnnnnd that's how you make this delicious mouth-watering dessert.
it's perfect for a cozy fall day and will fill your home with the most pleasant aroma.
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