Both shortcrust and puff pastry need to be kept cool for the best results.
In pastry making, it’s important not to let the dough heat up because the butter can start to melt which hinders flakiness, makes the dough difficult to roll and will make it more likely to stick to what it comes into contact with. This can then lead the chef into adding more flour to the surface, which inevitably alters the mix of the pastry itself and the result? A tough, overworked pastry case. The fact that a granite or quartz worktop maintains an ambient, cool temperature makes it the ultimate choice for bakers.
Why choose a granite or quartz offcut?
Granite and quartz worktops are made to order, which means there will often be some material left over. These offcuts can be easily utilised to make the ideal granite or quartz island worktop to enhance the natural beauty in your kitchen.
Now you’ve got your perfect surface for working pastry, why not try out one of these delicious and beautiful recipes…
Baked Apple Roses
Ingredients:
- 1 frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed
- 2 red organic apples
- half lemon, juice
- 1 tablespoon of flour, to sprinkle the counter
- 3 tablespoons of apricot preserve
- cinnamon (optional)
- icing sugar for decorating (optional)
Directions:
- Thaw the puff pastry if you haven’t done so yet. It should take about 20-30 minutes.
- Prepare a bowl with some water and the lemon juice. Cut the apples in half, remove the core and cut the apples in paper thin slices, as shown in my picture. Leave the peel so it will give the red colour to your roses. Right away, place the sliced apples in the bowl with lemon and water, so that they won’t change colour.
- Microwave the apples in the bowl, for about 3 minutes, to make them slightly softer. If you prefer, you can also simmer the apple slices in the water in a small pan (on the stove).
- Unwrap the puff pastry over a clean and lightly floured counter. Using a rolling pin stretch the dough a little, trying to keep it in a rectangular shape. Cut the dough in 6 strips. These are about 2 in x 9 in (5 cm x 22 cm).
- In a bowl, place three tablespoons of apricot preserve with two tablespoons of water. Microwave for about one minute, so that the preserve will be easier to spread. Spread the preserve on the dough.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Drain the apples.
- Place the apples on the dough, as shown in the picture. Sprinkle with cinnamon if you’d like.
- Fold up the bottom part of the dough. Carefully roll, seal the edge, and place in a silicone muffin cup. No need to grease the muffin tin if it’s silicone. Otherwise, make sure to grease it.
- Do the same for all 6 roses. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for about 40-45 minutes, until fully cooked.
NOTE: make sure the pastry is fully cooked on the inside before removing the roses from the oven!
If after 30 minutes the apples on top look fully cooked, move the pan to a lower rack in the oven, cover with tin foil to prevent the tops catching and wait for 10-15 more minutes to avoid undercooked pastry.
More recipes to try on your granite or quartz worktop
If baked apple roses aren’t to your taste, why not try our alternative recipes:
The Granite House may not be experts in cookery, but we are experts in stone choices.
We have a large number of slabs in stock, available to view at our Bicester workshop. To discuss your worktop requirements why not arrange a consultation?
