Baked Stuffed Apples en Croute
Baked Stuffed Apples en Croute are individual puff pastry baked apples filled with Santa Fe Seasons Red Chile Cranberry Sauce. Each tart apple is peeled, filled, completely wrapped in pastry and baked until golden.
The cranberry sauce adds sweet, tart and gently spicy flavor, while the puff pastry creates a crisp, flaky exterior. Decorative pastry leaves can be added before baking for an elegant holiday or special-occasion dessert.
Baked Stuffed Apples Recipe Details
Estimated prep time: 25 minutes
Bake time: 40 to 50 minutes
Estimated total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Cooling time: 10 to 15 minutes
Oven temperature: 350°F
Yield: 4 baked apples
Servings: 4
Course: Dessert
Cooking method: Baking
Cuisine: Southwestern
Ingredients
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4 tart apples
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1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
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1 cup lemon water, made with 1 part lemon juice and 3 parts water
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1 egg yolk
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1 tablespoon water, for the egg wash
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F.
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Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Combine one part lemon juice with three parts water to make one cup of lemon water.
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Peel and core the apples. Leave the bottom of each apple intact so the cranberry filling does not leak out during baking.
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Roll the peeled apples in the lemon water to coat them and help limit browning. Remove the apples and pat away excess liquid.
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Roll out the thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface.
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Cut the pastry into four squares large enough to enclose the apples completely.
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Place one apple in the center of each pastry square.
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Fill the hollow core of each apple with Santa Fe Seasons Red Chile Cranberry Sauce.
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Bring the corners and sides of the puff pastry up around each apple. Press the dough together to seal it.
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Invert the wrapped apples onto the prepared baking sheet so the pastry seams are underneath.
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Beat the egg yolk with one tablespoon of water to make the egg wash.
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Brush the outside of each pastry-wrapped apple lightly with the egg wash.
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If desired, cut decorative leaves from the remaining pastry and place them on top of the apples. Brush the decorations lightly with egg wash.
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Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the puff pastry is golden and the apples are tender when tested with a thin knife.
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Let the baked apples cool for 10 to 15 minutes before serving warm.
Tips for Wrapping Apples in Puff Pastry
Choose tart, firm apples that can withstand 40 to 50 minutes of baking without collapsing. Apples of a similar size will also cook at approximately the same rate.
Thaw the puff pastry according to the package instructions, but keep it cool. Pastry that becomes overly warm can feel sticky and may not rise as evenly.
Pat the apples dry after coating them with lemon water. Excess liquid can make it more difficult for the pastry to seal.
Make sure the pastry completely encloses each apple. Pinch the seams together and place the sealed side against the baking sheet.
Apple size and firmness can affect the cooking time. Check the apples near the end of the published 40-minute minimum and continue baking until the pastry is golden and the fruit is tender.
What Does “En Croute” Mean?
“En croute” refers to food that is wrapped and baked inside pastry. In this recipe, each whole apple is enclosed in puff pastry before baking.
The technique produces an individually portioned dessert with tender fruit, warm cranberry filling and a flaky pastry exterior.
Red Chile Cranberry Filling
Santa Fe Seasons Red Chile Cranberry Sauce is made with cranberries, orange, port wine, cane sugar and authentic New Mexico red chile.
The sauce gives these puff pastry baked apples a balance of tart cranberry, citrus, sweetness and gentle Southwestern chile warmth.
More Apple and Cranberry Desserts
For a double-crust apple dessert using the same sauce, try Red Chile Cranapple Pie.
You can also make Red Chile Cranberry Tartlets for small cream cheese and filo pastry desserts.
Browse the complete Taste New Mexico recipe collection for more Southwestern desserts, dinners, appetizers and drinks.
Storing and Reheating Baked Apples
Allow leftover apples to cool before placing them in a covered container. Refrigerate them and use them within three days.
For the best pastry texture, reheat the apples in a 325°F to 350°F oven until warmed through. Microwave reheating is faster, but the puff pastry will become softer.
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