Apple Rose Tartlets

The recipe, step by step

These apple rose tartlets are one of those desserts that look far more complicated than they really are. Thinly sliced apples are wrapped in buttery pastry with cinnamon sugar, then rolled into beautiful little roses and baked until crisp and golden.

The important part is softening the apple slices just enough so that they bend easily without breaking. Once they are pliable, shaping the tartlets is surprisingly straightforward.

Ready-made puff pastry keeps things simple, but when I have a little more time, I like to use my homemade flaky pastry for an even more buttery, crisp finish. Serve the tartlets warm or cold, either on their own or with my creamy vanilla custard.

Recipe Highlights

• Ease: Easy once the apple slices have been softened.
• Taste: Sweet apples, cinnamon sugar and buttery pastry.
• Texture: Crisp, flaky pastry with tender apple slices.
• Presentation: Individual rose-shaped tartlets that look impressive without requiring complicated pastry work.
• Quantity: Makes 12 tartlets.
• Preparation: 20 minutes.
• Baking: 40–45 minutes.
• Total time: Approximately 1 hour 5 minutes.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Puff pastry: Use 2 packs of ready-made puff pastry for the easiest option. You can also use my homemade flaky pastry for an especially crisp, buttery finish.
• Plain flour: Use 2 tablespoons plain flour (all-purpose flour) for lightly dusting your work surface while shaping the pastry.
• Apples: Use 4 whole apples. Choose apples that are firm enough to hold their shape during baking. Keep the skins on because the coloured edges help create the rose-petal effect.
• Lemon juice: Use the juice of ½ lemon. This helps prevent the sliced apples from browning while you prepare the tartlets.
• Caster sugar: Use 2 tablespoons caster sugar to sweeten the pastry and apples.
• Ground cinnamon: Use 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Cinnamon works beautifully with the apples and gives the tartlets a lovely warm flavour.
• Icing sugar: Use 2 tablespoons icing sugar (powdered sugar) for dusting the tartlets before serving.
• Egg wash: The pastry is brushed with egg wash before the apples are added.

How to Make Apple Rose Tartlets

1. Prepare the lemon juice: Squeeze the juice of ½ lemon into a medium heatproof bowl.

2. Prepare the apples: Cut the apples in half and remove the cores with a teaspoon. Leave the skins on.

3. Slice the apples: Using a mandoline or a sharp knife, cut the apples into thin slices approximately 3 mm (⅛ inch) thick. Discard any very small slices from the ends that will not be useful for shaping the roses.

4. Coat the apples: Place the apple slices in the bowl with the lemon juice and gently toss them together to help prevent browning.

5. Soften the apples in the microwave: Cover the bowl and microwave for approximately 3 minutes, until the apple slices are slightly softened and pliable enough to roll.

6. Use the stovetop alternative: Alternatively, place the heatproof bowl over a pan of boiling water for approximately 10 minutes.

7. Check the apples: The slices should bend easily without breaking but should not be so soft that they begin to fall apart.

8. Prepare the work surface: Lightly dust your work surface with flour.

9. Cut the ready-made pastry: Unwrap the puff pastry and cut it into rectangles approximately 24 × 5 cm (10 × 2 inches). You need 12 strips altogether.

10. Prepare homemade flaky pastry: When using my flaky pastry, divide the dough in half. Roll one half into a rectangle approximately 24 × 30 cm (10 × 12 inches) and about 3 mm thick. Cut it into six strips measuring approximately 24 × 5 cm, then repeat with the remaining pastry.

11. Preheat the oven: Heat the oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / 350°F / Gas 4.

12. Brush the pastry: Lay one pastry strip on the work surface and lightly brush it with egg wash.

13. Add the cinnamon sugar: Mix the caster sugar and cinnamon together, then sprinkle some evenly over the pastry.

14. Arrange the apples: Arrange approximately 10 apple slices along the upper half of the pastry strip, overlapping each slice slightly so that the rounded edges extend above the pastry.

15. Fold the pastry: Fold the lower half of the pastry strip upwards over the bottom of the apple slices and gently press it into place.

16. Roll the rose: Starting at one end, carefully roll the pastry strip into a spiral to create a rose shape.

17. Place in the tin: Put the shaped tartlet into a greased muffin tin.

18. Repeat: Continue with the remaining pastry and apples until you have made 12 apple rose tartlets.

19. Bake: Place the muffin tin on the middle shelf and bake for 40–45 minutes, until the pastry is completely cooked and golden.

20. Rest and finish: Leave the tartlets in the tin for 5 minutes, then remove them carefully and dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or cold.

Nigel’s Recipe Tips

Slice the apples thinly. I recommend aiming for around 3 mm thick. Thick slices are much harder to bend and can tear the pastry as you roll it.

Don’t overcook the apple slices. You only want them soft enough to bend without snapping. If they become very soft, shaping the roses becomes much more difficult.

Keep the apple skins on. The coloured skin around the edges of the slices gives the finished tartlets much more definition and makes the individual petals stand out.

Overlap the apple slices. Each slice should overlap the one before it. This creates the layered appearance of rose petals once the pastry is rolled.

Roll gently rather than tightly. You want the tartlet to hold together without crushing the apple slices.

Make sure the pastry is fully baked. The apples release moisture as they cook, so give the tartlets the full baking time they need for the pastry in the centre to cook properly.

Let them rest for five minutes. This gives the pastry a little time to firm up and makes the tartlets easier to lift from the muffin tin without damaging their shape.

Variations

Pear Rose Tartlets

Pears are a lovely alternative to apples. I recommend using pears that are slightly under-ripe, because ripe pears contain more moisture and can become too soft to roll neatly.

Prepare them in the same way as the apples, softening them only until they are flexible enough to shape.

Homemade Flaky Pastry

For an especially buttery, crisp version, replace the ready-made puff pastry with my homemade flaky pastry.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Need to Peel the Apples?

No. I recommend leaving the skins on. They give the edges of the apple slices more colour and make the finished tartlets look much more like roses.

How Thin Should I Slice the Apples?

Aim for approximately 3 mm (⅛ inch). The slices need to be thin enough to bend comfortably once they have been softened.

Why Are My Apple Slices Breaking?

They are probably either too thick or have not been softened enough. Give them a little more time until they bend without snapping.

Can I Use Homemade Pastry?

Yes. My homemade flaky pastry works particularly well and gives the tartlets an especially crisp, buttery finish.

Can I Make Apple Rose Tartlets with Pears?

Yes. Choose pears that are slightly under-ripe so that they retain their shape during preparation and baking.

Can I Serve Apple Rose Tartlets Cold?

Yes. They are delicious warm or cold, although the pastry is at its crispest shortly after baking.

What Can I Serve with Apple Rose Tartlets?

They are lovely on their own, but I particularly like them with my creamy vanilla custard.

Tools You’ll Need

• 12-cup muffin tin
• Medium heatproof bowl
• Sharp knife
• Mandoline, optional
• Teaspoon for removing the apple cores
• Pastry brush
• Rolling pin when using homemade flaky pastry
• Measuring spoons
• Digital kitchen scales

Storage and Freezing

Storing

These apple rose tartlets are at their best on the day they are baked, while the pastry is crisp.

Once completely cool, place them in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3–4 days. The tartlets will still taste good, although the pastry will gradually soften as it absorbs moisture from the apples.

To restore some of the crispness, warm them gently in the oven before serving.

Freezing

Apple rose tartlets can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Allow them to cool completely, then place them carefully in a freezer-safe container so that the delicate apple petals are protected.

Defrost before reheating in the oven. I recommend adding the icing sugar after reheating, rather than before freezing, so the finished tartlets look fresh when served.

Nutrition

Serving: one apple rose tartlet

Calories 248.4 kcal (12%)
Total Fat 13.83 g (20%)
Carbs 29.32 g (11%)
Sugars 9.33 g (10%)
Protein 2.78 g (6%)
Sodium 11.31 mg (1%)
Fiber 1.46 g (5%)

% Daily Values based on a 2,000-calorie diet.

Nutrition information is provided as an estimate and may vary depending on the exact ingredients, brands and serving size used.

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