Puff Pastry Apple Baskets
These Puff Pastry Apple Baskets are puff pastry cups filled with jam and apples. These desserts are reminiscent of apple pie but they include jam for a sweet and sticky element and walnuts for garnish. These make excellent desserts in the fall when apples are at their prime. You can serve them for dessert with scoops of vanilla bean ice cream or as part of an afternoon tea. To make these apple baskets, you line muffin cups of a muffin pan with squares of puff pastry and fill them with your choice of jam, sauteed apples, and walnuts before baking them in the oven. Then, dust them with powdered sugar and serve. The combination of buttery pastry, cooked apple, and toasted walnuts makes an incredibly delicious dessert that is perfect for novice bakers.
What are Apple Baskets?
These apple baskets are similar to apple pie in that they include a crust with an apple filling. Traditionally, apple pie includes a cooked or raw apple filling that is baked in a pie dish in a pie crust.
Apple pie exists in several cultures. For example, in French culture, apple pie is known as tarte tatin, which is an upside down pie with a caramelized apple filling. Meanwhile, apple pie in the United States and Canada often includes spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and sometimes raisins.
These apple baskets are wonderful for those who are intimidated about making apple pie from scratch as they include pre-made frozen puff pastry that simply requires thawing before being used in this recipe. Once baked, they are as tantalizing as apple pie when served with cold and creamy ice cream.
Pro Tips
- Make sure the puff pastry is thawed before unrolling it and cutting it into squares.
- Use a measuring tape to ensure you cut the puff pastry into even-sized squares.
- If you don’t have walnuts on hand, feel free to replace them with pecan halves instead.
- Use firm-fleshed apples that won’t become mushy during baking. Possibilities are Granny Smith, Cortland, Mcintosh, Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, and more.
- If you love the taste of cinnamon and nutmeg with apples, feel free to add some to the apples when you cook them on the stove.
- Use whatever type of jam you prefer, however, apricot jam or fig jam compliment the apple filling particularly well.
- When the apple baskets come out of the oven, they may stick in the muffin cups a little, particularly if the jam has leached out of the pastry. In this case, gently run a knife around the edges to loosen each apple basket before removing it from the pan.
What to Serve with Apple Baskets?
These apple baskets can be served simply dusted with some icing sugar, however, you can serve them with vanilla ice cream as you would with more traditional apple pie. They are also delicious with just a cup of coffee or brewed orange pekoe tea.
What Apples Should I Use?
The best apples for this apple basket recipe is any firm-fleshed apple as other types of apples may break down during cooking. Firm-fleshed apples include Cortland, Mcintosh, Gala, Golden Delicious, Braeburn, Jonagold, and others.
Can I Store These Apple Baskets in the Freezer?
It isn’t ideal to freeze the apple baskets as the pastry may become soggy once thawed.
What’s the Best Way to Thaw Puff Pastry?
Puff pastry packages have directions for how to thaw puff pastry in the fridge or on the counter. It is best to thaw it in the fridge to ensure it is still nice and cold when you work with it.
More Apple Puff Pastry Desserts For Your Fall
Upside Down Puff Pastry Apple Tarts
How to Store Apple Baskets
You can store the apple baskets in an airtight container in the fridge where they should stay fresh for 2 to 3 days. Freezing isn’t ideal as they may become soggy when they are thawed.
Ingredients
How to Make Apple Baskets
Cut the puff pastry into squares.
Cut the puff pastry into squares.
Arrange the puff pastry squares in muffin cups.
Arrange the puff pastry squares in muffin cups.
Dollop some jam into each cup.
Dollop some jam into each cup.
Cook the apples with the butter in a nonstick skillet until browned.
Cook the apples with the butter in a nonstick skillet until browned.
Arrange the apple slices in the cups.
Arrange the apple slices in the cups.
Garnish the puff pastry cups with the walnuts. Bake in a 180°C/356°F oven for 25 minutes.
Garnish the puff pastry cups with the walnuts. Bake in a 180°C/356°F oven for 25 minutes.
Arrange the apple baskets on a plate and dust them with powdered sugar.
Arrange the apple baskets on a plate and dust them with powdered sugar.
Serve immediately.
Serve immediately.
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