Apple roses

A couple of weeks ago, I saw in the Facebook newsfeed a video from Tastemade (click here for the original) with some apple "roses" that looked really tasty and easy to prepare. I didn't bake them immediately as the original recipe was using puff pastry (and I avoid the puff pastry from the market, because it's not really baby friendly). 

Today I decided to bake the apple roses, using a baby friendly dough - a butter and walnut biscuit dough (because I love the combination of walnuts and apples). It didn't turn out as easy to handle as the classic puff pastry (the walnuts make it a bit crumbly), but I managed to shape the roses and the taste was...simply amazing :)

Ingredients:
For the dough:
- 100g butter;
- 100g banana (one small banana);
- 200g flour;
- 100g ground walnuts;
- 2 quail eggs (or one egg yolk).
Pentru umplutură:
- 2-3 apples;
- a bit of cinnamon.

* This recipe does not contain sugar. If you like more concentrated sweets, you can serve these apple roses with a teaspoon of honey on top (I admit, I ate them like this and, in my opinion, honey+walnut+apples = a divine taste!)

Mix all the ingredients for the dough and knead until you get a firm (but not excessively strong), non-sticky dough (add a bit more flour if needed). Shape it in a ball, cover with cling film and place it in the fridge for at least 1/2h.
Meanwhile, halve the apples, remove the cores then finely slice the halves. Place a pot with water on the stove, over medium fire, add the juice of half lemon and when it starts boiling reduce heat and add the apple slices. Let them simmer over low heat for 2-3 minutes then drain them in a colander.

Remove the dough from the fridge, roll it in a square sheet and cut it in 5-6 cm wide strips. Place the apple slices on the whole length of the strips, round side out and straight side in the middle part of the strip. Fold the dough so the free half of the strip covers the upper part of the apple slices. Roll the strip to form the rose shape. Place the rose in the muffin tin, lines with special paper.

Keep going until you finish the dough and the apples. If you have some extra dough, make some biscuits out of it. Bake the roses in the preheated oven, at 190 degrees Celsius, for 35-40 minutes.
Continuați până terminați aluatul și merele. Dacă vă mai rămâne aluat, puteți forma niște biscuiți. Enjoy!