Apple-Vanilla Puff Pastries
Ingredients – 9 servings
For the cinnamon crumble
- 15 g Butter
- 15 g Brown sugar
- 0.5 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 30 g Flour
For the apple filling
- 1 pinch Salt
- 2–3 piece Apple
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 65 g Granulated Sugar
- 0.5 lemon juice Lemon juice
- 1.5 teaspoon Cornstarch
For the vanilla cream
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla flavouring
- 300 ml Milk
- 60 g Granulated Sugar
- 3 piece Egg yolk
- 30 g Cornstarch
For the yeast dough
- 75 g Granulated Sugar
- 265 g Milk
- 9 g Salt
- 7 g Dried yeast
- 450 g Bread flour
- 45 g Butter
- 1 piece Egg yolk
- 1 piece Egg
Preparation
Prepare the yeast dough. Add 75 g of granulated sugar and 7 g of instant yeast to 265 g of lukewarm milk. Mix in the whole egg and 1 egg yolk, then add 450 g of bread flour and 9 g of salt. Knead until you have a smooth, elastic dough, then incorporate 45 g of soft butter. Knead until the dough is homogeneous and manageable.
Let the dough rise. Cover the bowl and let the dough rise in a warm place for 60–90 minutes, until it has roughly doubled in size.
Cook the apple filling. Place 2–3 peeled and diced apples in a saucepan with 65 g of sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1.5 teaspoons of cornstarch, the juice of half a lemon, and a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the apples soften and the sauce thickens. Then let it cool completely.
Prepare the vanilla cream. Mix 3 egg yolks with 60 g of sugar and 30 g of cornstarch until smooth. Heat 300 ml of milk in a saucepan, then gradually pour it into the egg mixture while stirring continuously. Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a creamy consistency. Remove from heat and stir in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract. Cover so that the film touches the surface of the cream directly, then let it cool completely.
Shape the open pastries. Turn the risen dough onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 9 equal pieces. Shape them into balls and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, spaced apart. Slightly flatten them and create a deep indentation in the center, leaving a thicker dough rim. Do not close the center: this is where the cream and apples will go.
Let them rise a second time. Cover the shaped pastries and let them rise for another 30–45 minutes. If the indentation rises during this time, gently press the center back down before filling, keeping the airy rim.
Fill and prepare the cinnamon crumbs. Distribute the cold vanilla cream into the indentations of the pastries, then spoon the cooled apple filling on top. Do not overfill the indentations. Mix 30 g of flour, 15 g of cold butter, 15 g of brown sugar, and half a teaspoon of cinnamon with your fingers until you get small, uneven crumbs. Sprinkle over the filled pastries.
Bake until golden brown. Preheat the oven to 180 °C in top and bottom baking mode. Bake the pastries for about 18–22 minutes, until the tops are nicely golden brown and the dough is cooked through. The exact baking time may depend on the oven and the size of the pastries.
Let them rest, then serve. After baking, let the pastries cool for a few minutes. They are best enjoyed warm, when the soft dough, vanilla cream, and cinnamon apple flavors meld perfectly. One serving is one pastry.
The filling should be completely cold: Warm vanilla cream and apple filling can overheat the dough.
Do not overfill: Adjust the amount of cream and apples to the size of the open center to prevent overflow.
Take time for rising: The first rise takes 60–90 minutes, the second 30–45 minutes; total preparation time, including cooling, is about 2.5–3 hours or more.
Stir the cream continuously: This reduces the chance of lumps or sticking to the bottom of the pot.
