Nothing can be more stressful than preparing for Valentine’s Day meal. Be it a Galentine’s brunch or lunch or dinner for your sweetheart, Valentine’s Day is one of the meals you definitely want to get right. So what do you make? What do you have time for? How do you make something that is yummy, beautiful, but doesn’t cost an arm and a leg or take forever?!?

Hello, my little lovelies…these little treats are the perfect size, easy to make and downright mouthwatering. Top anything off with a Crème Anglaise when it comes to fresh fruit and “you had me at, hello!” Hello Apple Rose Tarts!

Crème Anglaise

They can’t be this simple you say. You’re wrong, I reply. To start, make the crème anglaise a day to two ahead. And make every attempt not to eat it all, seriously. Crème Anglaise is translated to English Cream and is a light pourable cream sauce similar to a custard. I often describe it as melted vanilla ice cream in taste. It is really simple to make and absolutely delicious simply on fresh fruit, but as sauce to accompany fruit desserts it is divine.

To make your crème anglaise, you will combine milks and vanilla and heat until simmer. While that warms you’ll blend egg yolks and sugar. Once your vanilla and milks are warmed, you’ll remove from heat and slowly add it to your egg/sugar mixture and then once combined return it to the stove and cook until thickened.

That’s it. Let it cool to room temperature before placing in a container for storing in the refridgerator. Need helps? Just scroll through the step-by-step photos above!

Apple Rose Tarts

Next, prep your apple tarts before your meal. They don’t take much time to make or bake, but you won’t want the distraction. You can make them the morning of your brunch or before your dinner and then just warm them in a low temperature oven if not serving right away. That’s what I did. They are fine the next day, but really best eaten the day they are made.

To make your tarts, thaw one sheet of puff pastry. Note, this recipe makes 6 tarts so if you need more adjust accordingly. And yes, I don’t make my own puff pastry, I leave that to Paul Hollywood. Pastry is my nemesis.

While the puff pastry is thawing, cut, core and slice your apples into thin-ish halfmoon shapes. Leave the peel on. Warm them in lemon water heated in the microwave until they are bendy.

Roll out your puff pastry to 12″ long. Yes, I used a ruler. I’m anal that way. Then slice into 2″ strips. Separate the strips and then spread with jam, jelly or cinnamon butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon if you used jelly. I have seen recipes using strawberry jam and apricot jam. I’ve used all three and they are each yummy so it is really up to your tastes.

Layer your apple slices from the middle to the top down the strip of pastry. See photos. Then fold over the puff pastry, roll the strip slowly and pinch the end together. Place in your pre-coated muffin tin and bake until slightly browned and pastry is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

NOTE: one recipe recommended covering your pastries as they cook for part of the time to prevent the apple peel to discolor. I agree. You’ll note that mine aren’t picture perfect because I was called away while I was baking and forgot to do this step. I decided to still share the recipe, because aesthetics didn’t effect the taste and yumminess.

Good food doesn’t have to be perfect, even on Valentine’s Day. Baking is love made edible! And my favorite way to share with the special people in my life! Love you all! Enjoy!

Apple Rose Tarts with Crème Anglaise

A wonderful way to share a beautiful meal with the ones that you love. These fun apple tarts are single-serving sized and a blend of textures and flavors everyone will enjoy!

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 30

Course Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine American, French

Servings 6

Ingredients

Crème Anglaise

1 cup whole milk
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
1 vanilla bean
4 large egg yolks
⅓ cup granulated sugar

Apple Rose Tarts

2 red apples I used Fuji
2 cups water
½ juice of lemon
1 sheet puff pastry thawed
2 tbsp apricot jam or jam of choice
1 tbsp warm water
1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

Crème Anglaise

Place milk and cream in a small saucepan.
Split the vanilla bean lengthwise with a thin-tipped sharp knife. Open and scrape out the seeds. Add the seeds AND the pod to the saucepan.
Heat the mixture on medium head until small bubbles begin to appear around the edges and steam is rising from the surface.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together sugar and egg yolks until blended.
Slowly add about ½ cup of the warmed milk mixture to the yolk mixture while whisking. Whisk until blended and egg mixture is warmed slightly. This will prevent curdling. Add remaining milk mixture until blended.
Transfer your custard back to the suacepan and cook over low heat, whisking constantly until it has thickened slightly, about 5-10 minutes. Sauce should coat the back of a spoon when thick enough. Remove from heat. Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.
Pour your crème anglaise into a heat-safe container and allow to cool to room temperature before covering and storing in refridgerator until using.

Apple Rose Tarts

Preheat oven to 375°F. Spray your muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
Remove your puff pastry from the freezer and allow to thaw to room temperature, about 15-20 minutes. Prepare your apples and the rest of your ingredients while it thaws.
Fill a microwave-safe bowl with 2 cups water and the juice of ½ lemon. Set aside.
Wash and cut your apples in half length-wise. Core the apple and cut again in half width-wise. This will give you half-moon shaped slices. Slice apples in ⅛" widths and place in lemon-water until all slices are done to prevent discoloration.
Heat your apples/lemon-water in microwave 3 minutes or until slices are soft, flexible and easy to roll. Set aside.
Unfold your puff pastry onto slightly floured surface and roll flat into a 9"x12" square. Cut into 6 2×9-inch strips.
Mix together jam and warm water (I used the one my apples were in) and spread on top off puff pastry.
Drain the apples. Arrange the apple slices on the top half of the dough, overlapping one another. Make sure the top (skin side) of the slices sticks a little out of the strip. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
Fold the bottom half of the puff pastry over the apples. Slowly roll the dough from one end to the other, keeping the apples in place as you do it. Seal the ends together. Place in a muffin tin and repeat.
Bake for 40-45 minutes, until fully cooked. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before removing from muffin tin and serving. Store uneaten apple tarts in air tight container in refridgerator.
NOTE: Make sure the pastry is fully cooked on the inside before removing from the oven! Either cover loosely with aluminum foil for the last 10-15 minutes or move to the lower rack of your oven to avoid burining the top of your apple rose tarts.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and pour your crème anglaise into your dish before placing the apple rose tart in the middle or simply do a pour-over. Either way enjoy!