Elegant Apple Rose Cakes – A Simple Yet Spectacular Dessert!

I have perfected these beautiful apple rose cakes that transform simple ingredients into a stunning dessert. This recipe emerged from the creative baking scene in France, where chefs were looking to create visually striking desserts using minimal ingredients. The technique of arranging thin slices of apple to look like rose petals has since become a much-loved method of creating spectacular cakes.

Why this recipe works?

These delicate cakes combine buttery puff pastry with tender cinnamon-spiced apples to create an elegant dessert that looks much more complicated than it actually is. The spiral arrangement of the apple slices creates a dramatic rose effect, while the puff pastry provides a perfectly flaky base.

Ingredients

For the pastries

400g (14oz) puff pastry, thawed if frozen
3 medium red apples
30g (2 tbsp) granulated sugar
10g (1 tbsp) ground cinnamon
30g (2 tbsp) melted butter
Powdered sugar for dusting

For the apple preparation

Cold water
1 tbsp lemon juice
Pinch of salt