Elevate your baking skills with a show-stopping braided puff pastry that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. This impressive pastry combines the buttery, flaky layers of puff pastry with the sweet, spiced flavors of classic apple pie filling. By artfully braiding the puff pastry, you create a stunning visual centerpiece that is perfect for any occasion, from festive gatherings to casual brunches. To make this delightful pastry, roll out a sheet of puff pastry and fill it with a luscious mixture of diced apples, warm cinnamon, and brown sugar. Carefully slice the sides of the pastry and fold them over the filling, creating an elegant braided effect. As the pastry bakes, it puffs up and turns golden brown, encasing the tender apple filling in a crispy, buttery shell. The combination of textures and flavors—crispy, flaky pastry with a sweet, juicy apple center—makes this dessert irresistible. Whether served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or enjoyed on its own, this braided puff pastry with apple pie filling is sure to impress your family and friends with its beauty and taste. I love apple pie or apple strudel, apple tart, caramel apple tart.
Step-by-step: Braided Apple Strudel/ Puff Pastry
Prep
Apples – Peel, core, and slice the apples into small cubes. Apple pie filling – In a large saucepan combine the apples with salt, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, and flour. Combine well. Cook over medium heat until all the juices have evaporated and you have a thick-cooked apple mixture. Let cool completely.Pro tip – cook the last two minutes on medium-high to help the juices evaporate. Puff pastry – Roll a sheet of puff pastry into a rectangle about 13 x 9-inch approximately. Mark the puff pastry sheet into three lengthways so it will give you three panels. Keep chilledPro tip – The center panel will hold the filling and the sides will be flipped over. Ideally, the three should be approximately the same width.
Assemble
Preheat the oven to 400°F / 200°C/ Gas Mark 6 Filling – Place the cooled apple filling in the center of the marked puff pastry evenly.Pro tip – Place the puff pastry on the baking tray lined with parchment for easy clean-up. Strips – Using a sharp knife or pizza wheel, cut slanting strips along both sides of the pastry.Pro tip – Cut off two corners (triangles) from the top and bottom as shown in the video
Overlap – Braid the pastry by crossing the strips diagonally over the filling overlapping each other (see video). When you reach the end, you can overlap any excess strips or cut them off.Pro tip – Fold both ends at the top and bottom over the filling, this will prevent the filling from coming out during baking. Bake – Brush the pastry with egg wash or milk and sprinkle sugar. Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 to 35 minutes until the top is crisp and golden brown. Cool – When baked, cool in the sheet pan for 10 minutes. Use a long pallet knife or spatula to move the long pastry so it won’t break. Serve at room temperature or warm on its own or with a dollop of ice cream or whipped cream.
Frequently asked questions
Creative ways to serve apple with puff pastry
Mini Bites: Before baking, cut the braided pastry into bite-sized pieces, bake, and then serve on a platter with caramel or vanilla sauce for dipping. Spiral Puffs: Instead of braiding, wrap the puff pastry with apple filling in a spiral or pinwheel form. This creates individual pastries that are visually striking. Ring Style: Shape the braided puff pastry into a circle or ring before baking. Once baked, you can fill the center with whipped cream, ice cream, or a mound of fresh apple slices. With a Creamy Dip: Serve slices of the braided pastry with a side of spiced whipped cream or mascarpone dip. Sprinkle the dip with cinnamon or nutmeg for an added touch. Layered Dessert: Layer pieces of the braided pastry in a dessert glass with layers of vanilla custard, whipped cream, and caramelized apples. It’s a delicious and visually stunning parfait. Serve with a Sauce Flight: Offer a variety of sauces (caramel, chocolate, vanilla custard, raspberry coulis) on the side. Guests can choose which sauce they want to drizzle over their piece of braided pastry.
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