Description
Luxurious cream cheese puff pastry with apples combines French elegance and American comfort. Flaky layers cradle sweet cinnamon-spiced apples, promising a delightful dessert that melts in your mouth and warms your heart.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped into small chunks
- 8 oz (226 grams) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 box puff pastry dough, room temperature
Filling and Sweeteners:
- 1 ½ cups (360 milliliters) water
- ¾ cup (150 grams) sugar
- ½ cup (60 grams) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (30 grams) cornstarch
Flavoring and Binding Ingredients:
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters) vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon (1.25 milliliters) vanilla
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) milk
Instructions
- Craft a luscious apple-cream cheese filling by gently simmering water, cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon, and lemon juice until the mixture transforms into a glossy, thickened sauce.
- Fold tender apple chunks into the aromatic sauce, allowing them to soften and absorb the warm spices, then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Whip cream cheese in a mixing bowl until light and airy, then incorporate sugar, egg yolk, vanilla, and a hint of lemon juice until the mixture becomes silky smooth.
- Carefully unfurl the delicate puff pastry sheets, smoothing out any creases and using a sharp knife to divide each sheet into six elegant rectangles.
- Lay the pastry pieces on a parchment-lined baking sheet, creating a canvas for the decadent filling.
- Delicately spoon a dollop of cream cheese mixture and a generous portion of spiced apple filling into the center of each pastry rectangle.
- Trace a border around each pastry, creating a raised edge by scoring without completely cutting through the dough.
- Optional: Brush the pastry edges with a golden egg wash to enhance the final gleaming appearance.
- Slide the baking sheet into a preheated oven and bake until the pastries transform into puffy, golden-brown delicacies.
- While cooling, prepare a luxurious glaze by whisking powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla into a smooth, drizzling consistency.
- Once the pastries have slightly cooled, cascade the glossy glaze over their surface, creating an irresistible finishing touch.
Notes
- Master the apple filling by constantly stirring to prevent burning and achieve a thick, glossy consistency.
- Ensure cream cheese is at room temperature for smooth, lump-free mixing and optimal texture.
- Cut pastry precisely to create uniform, professional-looking puff pastries with even baking.
- Score pastry edges gently without cutting through to help create beautiful, crisp borders during baking.
- Allow pastries to cool slightly before drizzling glaze to prevent melting and maintain beautiful presentation.
- Experiment with spices like nutmeg or ginger in apple filling for a personalized flavor twist.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg