In the Kitchen ~ Baked Apple Pie Rings

The Christmas baking has started at the Blue House. 

This year I have decided not to go crazy with the amount of sweet stuff I make. I must be honest I get more enjoyment out of the creating than the eating...although an occasional tasty treat with a nice cup of tea in the afternoon is something I look forward to. Last year I baked quite a lot.. but much of it was given away as gifts.. If I get the urge to splurge again this year..I will probably to the same again.

So this week.. as well as my usual bread baking... 

I have made incredibly easy Chocolate Chip Fudge Crinkle Cookies 

which MrD said were the "Best Ever"

and the more complicated Apple Ring Pastries...which my daughter sent me the recipe to try. 

Not that the recipe for the pastries was difficult..in fact its very straight forward..but man I found it fiddly. Clumsily threading strips of ever thinning puff pastry through an ever decreasing hole in an apple slice was was challenging.. but they turned out pretty well tho not quite the perfectly neat original recipe. But they tasted good. I think next time, I should use a bigger hole or maybe just a bigger apple!

1 box puff pastry sheets
2 apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 beaten egg
juice of 1 lemon

Powdered sugar for dusting

• Thaw puff pastry
• Preheat the oven to 400°.
• Peel and core the apples.
• Slice into rounds.
• Use a 1-1/4 inch-diameter cookie cutter to open the core slice a little larger.
• Place the apple slices into a bowl, cover with water, and add the juice of 1 lemon.
• Unfold the puff pastry and roll it until it is slightly larger.

• Cut the puff pastry into ¾ inch strips.
• Mix the cinnamon, sugar, and nutmeg in a shallow dish and set aside.
• Pat the apple slices dry with a paper towel and dust them with a bit of cinnamon sugar.
• Wrap strips of the puff pastry(3-4 strips/apple ring) around each apple ring.

• Brush the wrapped apple rings with egg wash on both sides.
• Sprinkle the rings with cinnamon sugar.

• Bake for 20-25 minutes until puff pastry is flaky and light golden brown.
• Cool for 10 minutes and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Love and Hugs

Phoebe x