The effort-to-rewards ratio on these little beauties provide an easy WOW for any gathering!

Ingredients:

• 2 red or pink coloured apples; Fuji & Ambrosia are great for baking
• 5 TBSP sugar, divided
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp maple syrup
• 1 sheet Puff Pastry
• 2 tsp flour, to dust counter

Instructions:

1. Spray 6 cup muffin tin with non-stick spray and set aside. Quarter apples, slice thinly with peel on. Coat slices with 2 TBSP sugar, avoid breaking delicate pieces by gently shaking through rather than stirring in.
2. Microwave on high for 90 seconds (or sauté on low heat 3-4 min until softened). Let sit for 10 minutes. Transfer to a strainer and drain over bowl for another 10 minutes, reserving apple juice in bowl.
3. Remove puff pastry from refrigerator and place on lightly floured work surface. Roll into a 12″ x 9″ rectangle and cut into six 2″ x 9″ strips. Sprinkle with remaining 3 TBSP sugar and cinnamon, combined.

4. Place slices along top edge of one strip, slightly overlapping, and ensuring skin side of apple sticks out over edge of dough.
5. Fold up bottom half of dough over apples. Roll up pastry and smoosh dough together with your fingers at ends to seal edge. Place into muffin tin and repeat for remaining five strips.
6. Refrigerate pastry in muffin tin 15-20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375˚F. (Remember puff pastry prefers polar temps to puff properly, or put simply PPPPTTPP :p)

7. Bake 40 mins until light golden brown. Tent with foil after 25 mins if apples start browning too much.
8. Meanwhile, add 1 tsp maple syrup to the reserved apple juice in bowl, microwave 90 seconds and set aside.
9. Remove from oven and brush tops with syrup mixture. Return to oven 5-10 minutes, until golden. I hope you enjoy!

Photos by Micheile Henderson

Zuming out,

Jacqueline