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Apple Roses drenched in Rum Caramel Sauce

Recipe Level: Moderate

These apple roses are made with a buttery pastry, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and drenched in a rum caramel sauce. They make a beautiful dessert perfect for entertaining. Make apple roses in advance, reheat and serve when ready.

Baked by Alie Romano

Professional Baker and Recipe Developer

* For best results, read the entire article. Every step matters, and I’ll provide helpful tips along the way!

Apple Roses Drenched in Rum Caramel Sauce

The ever so popular apple roses have been the internet (food) craze for the past few years. I can’t say enough good things about these show stopping beauties. They are the perfect size for an individual serving and not too heavy after a big dinner party. These little treats look stunning and are a lovely combination of buttery pastry with baked apples and rich rum caramel sauce.

You can make them ahead of time so you don’t have to stress out while entertaining your guests and did I say how beautiful they looked?! I love this dessert paired with rum caramel sauce as it adds a bit of sophistication for a dinner party, but could easily go with a scoop of your favourite ice cream.

With the holiday season fast approaching these apple roses will make a beautiful ending to your next dinner party.  I hope you’ll get a little adventurous in the kitchen and try them out!

Apple Roses Drenched in Rum Caramel Sauce
Apple Roses Drenched in Rum Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour
  • Unsalted butter
  • Crisco/shortening
  • Baking apples (see blog tips for apple varieties)
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Salt

Rum Caramel Sauce

  • Cornstarch
  • Granulated sugar & brown sugar
  • Unsalted butter
  • Whipping cream
  • Rum 
Apple Blossoms Drenched in Rum Caramel Sauce
Apple Roses Drenched in Rum Caramel Sauce

Tips for Making the Perfect Apple Roses (Drenched in Rum Caramel Sauce)

I know this dessert can come off as being a little intimidating for the at home cook/baker but I promise they aren’t hard to do, and with a few helpful hints you’ll be a pro at mastering the apple roses.

  1. Buy the right Apple!! If you don’t already know this, there are a lot of apples that handle heat differently making some better for sauces, baking pies and for just plain eating. You want to look for Baldwin, Cortland, Empire, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, Mutsu (Crispin), Northern Spy,  or Pink Lady (Cripps Pink) for this recipe.
  2. Make sure when slicing your apples to keep the slices consistent in size. This will help while you are boiling the apples, and it will also help when you are rolling the apples up into roses. Also, the thinner the apple slices the better.
  3. Always, always lightly boil the apple slices to soften them. This will make rolling the apples into roses easier as the apples won’t break.
  4. Place muffin cups into your muffin tins so you can easily remove your apple blossoms without breaking them or grease the pan.
  5. For a pretty top, broil the tops of the roses for a minute to crisp up the apple slices, but watch them carefully so you don’t burn them.

How To Make Apple Roses Drenched in Rum Caramel Sauce

Step One: Cut the apples in half then in thin even slices. Leave the peels so it will give the red colour to your roses. In a large frying pan add water and bring to a boil, lower the temperature to a simmer. Add apple slices and simmer for approx. 1-2 minutes just until apples are soft and pliable. Remove from heat and drain.

Step Two: On a prepared work surface, roll out your pastry into a rectangle approx. 12 x 9 inches. Cut the dough into strips, each about 2 x 9 inches. Place apple slices (approx. 9 slices of apples overlapping) about 1/2 inch along the length of the pastry strip leaving the tops of the apple slices exposed over the pastry.

Step Three: Sprinkle about 1-2 Tablespoons of brown sugar at the bottoms of the apple slices and sprinkle with cinnamon. Now fold the pastry over the apple slices with the cinnamon and sugar to make a pocket with the tops of the apples poking out. Starting at one end of your folded apple pocket, gently roll from one end to the other, creating a rose. 

Step Four: Place the apple rose pastry side down into your prepared muffin cups. Repeat with all the strips of pastry, apples, sugar and cinnamon. You can use scraps of pastry to make more strips. I had approx. 10 apple roses.

Step Five: Bake in the middle of the oven for approx. 30-40 minutes until the pastry is starting to brown.  On a small plate pour 1/4 cup of rum sauce onto the center of the plate. Place an apple rose on top of the caramel and dust with icing sugar.

Apple Roses Drenched in Rum Caramel Sauce
Apple Roses Drenched in Rum Caramel Sauce
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Apple Roses Drenched in Rum Caramel Sauce

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5 from 5 reviews

These apple roses are made with a buttery pastry, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar and drenched in a rum caramel sauce. They make a beautiful dessert perfect for entertaining. Make apple roses in advance, reheat and serve when ready.

  • Author: Alie Romano
  • Prep Time: 40 mins
  • Cook Time: 30 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hour 10 mins
  • Yield: 810 Roses 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: French

Ingredients

Units Scale

Pastry

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, (cold and cut into cubes)
  • 1/2 cup Crisco/shortening (cold)
  • 1/4 cup ice-cold water

Filling

Instructions

  1. Make your pastry: In a food processor add flour and salt, blend until incorporated.
  2. Add cold butter cubes and pulse until butter resembles fine little crumbs.
  3. Add crisco/shortening and pulse until butter resembles fine little crumbs (don’t overdo it).
  4. Slowly add your cold water and pulse until the dough forms into a ball, or gently shape it into a ball by hand. Flatten dough into a disc and wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  5. Meanwhile prep your apples: Cut the apples in half, remove the core and cut the apples in thin even slices. Make sure you cut the apples from the top of the apple to the bottom (starting where the stem is and cutting in slices down to the bottom butt). Leave the peels so it will give the red colour to your roses.
  6. In a large frying pan add water and bring to a boil, lower the temperature to a simmer. Add apple slices and simmer for approx. 1-2 minutes just until apples are soft and pliable. Remove from heat and drain.
  7. Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line a muffin tin with baking papers and set aside.
  8. For the Apple Roses: On a prepared work surface, roll out your pastry into a rectangle approx. 12 x 9 inches (30 x 22 cm). Cut the dough into strips, each about 2 x 9 inches (5 x 22 cm).
  9. Place apple slices (approx. 9 slices of apples overlapping) about 1/2 inch along the length of the pastry strip (see picture for reference) leaving the tops of the apple slices exposed over the pastry.
  10. Sprinkle about 1-2 Tablespoons of brown sugar at the bottoms of the apple slices and sprinkle with cinnamon. Now fold the pastry over the apple slices with the cinnamon and sugar to make a pocket with the tops of the apples poking out (see picture for reference).
  11. Starting at one end of your folded apple pocket, gently roll from one end to the other, creating a rose. Place the apple rose pastry side down into your prepared muffin cups.
  12. Repeat with all the strips of pastry, apples, sugar and cinnamon. You can use scraps of pastry to make more strips. I had approx. 10 apple roses.
  13. Bake in the middle of the oven for approx. 30-40 minutes until the pastry is starting to brown.
  14. Plating On a small plate pour 1/4 cup rum sauce onto the center of the plate. Place an apple rose on top of the caramel and dust with icing sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Apple roses are a great make ahead dessert. You can make apple roses up to 2 days in advance. Reheat and serve warm or at room temperature.

Store roses in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer in an airtight container for up to 2 months. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 379
  • Sugar: 17g
  • Sodium: 139mg
  • Fat: 23.6g
  • Saturated Fat: 12.4g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0
  • Trans Fat: 0
  • Carbohydrates: 39.3
  • Fiber: 2.5g
  • Protein: 3.1g
  • Cholesterol: 42mg

Did you make this recipe?

Write a review and let me know!

Share a photo and tag me on Instagram @bakingforfriends_

I can’t wait to see what you’ve made! xo alie

FAQ’s

What are apple roses?

Apple roses are a dessert that consists of pie pastry folded around thin slices of apples. They are then rolled together to create a beautiful looking rose.

Can I make apple roses in advance?

Yes, apple roses are a great make ahead dessert. You can make apple roses up to 2 days in advance. Reheat and serve warm or at room temperature.

How do I store apple roses?

Store apple roses in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Or freeze in the freezer for up to 2 months. Reheat and serve warm or at room temperature.

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Sarah
Sarah
7 years ago
Rating :
     

I was fortunate enough to get the chance to try these this past weekend. They were incredible. What a great way to spice up apples which can sometimes start to seem boring. The rum caramel sauce is so good. I’m trying to think of all the other things I can drizzle it on!






Cathy Braden
Cathy Braden
7 years ago
Rating :
     

I love the step by step photo instructions. They help me a lot in my cooking. Thanks so much. They look so beautiful I can’t wait to try hem for my next dinner party.






Janet Bergermann
Janet Bergermann
7 years ago
Rating :
     

This recipe makes a most elegant and tasty dessert for company!






Leslie Howchin
Leslie Howchin
7 years ago
Rating :
     

Thanks Alie,
Having a bridal shower and these will be perfect. They look really elegant but the step by step instructions look easy to follow.






Sharon Edwards
Sharon Edwards
7 years ago
Rating :
     

I also like the step-by-step instructions…as well as the pictures. I will make these for sure.
Thanks!






Alex Mac
Alex Mac
7 years ago
Rating :
     

These are AHmazing! What a stunning dessert to serve guests. And drenched is the key word when it comes to the rum caramel sauce!
Also, your photos are just lovely 🙂






Linda
Linda
7 years ago
Rating :
     

Alie, you seem to highlight the most interesting dessert ideas! You even make the instructions look simple!
Keep up the great work!






Michele
Michele
7 years ago

I am one of the lucky ones that got to try these beautiful desserts first hand! They are so tasty! A beautiful work of art with the perfect amount of sweet. Great way to end any meal! Love your pictures and step by step institutions❤️

Barbara Lavelle
Barbara Lavelle
7 years ago
Rating :
     

Beautiful and enticing! The best part is that you make it all seem within the realm of my limitations in the kitchen. Thank you!
Barbara






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Meet

Alie

I'm a professional baker, recipe developer & photographer behind Baking For Friends. I specialize in classic & comforting baking. I hope you enjoy the recipes & find inspiration of your own to bring your family & friends together over home-cooked food!

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