Description
A cozy, delicious braid of flaky puff pastry filled with cinnamon‑sweet apple filling and finished with a light lemon glaze — simple to make, wonderfully comforting, and perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
- 3 large apples, peeled and diced
- ¼ cup water
- 3 Tbsp butter
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
- Glaze:
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1½ tsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (≈ 200 °C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a saucepan, combine diced apples, water, butter, salt, cinnamon, brown sugar, lemon juice, and flour. Cook over medium-low heat until the mixture thickens (about 4 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool completely.
- Roll the thawed puff pastry sheet into a rectangle, about 13 × 9 inches.
- Spread the cooled apple filling down the center of the rectangle.
- Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut diagonal strips along both sides of the pastry (about 5 per side). Braid by alternately folding strips from each side over the filling, overlapping as you go. Fold the top and bottom ends inward and pinch to seal.
- Place the braid on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 18–20 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and crisp. Let cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, whisk together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and milk to make the glaze. Drizzle the glaze over the warm braid. Slice into thick pieces and serve.
Notes
- Chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans) can be mixed into the apple filling for added crunch.
- Adding dried cranberries (or raisins) with the apples gives a tart, fruity twist.
- You can use your own puff pastry if you prefer homemade over store‑bought.
- Reheat slices in a warm oven (≈ 180 °C / 350 °F for 5–10 minutes) to refresh crispness after storage.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American / European-style pastry
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice (approx 1/6 braid)
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
