Individual Servings of Apple Walnut Frangipane in Puff Pastry

You will surely delight your family and friends with individual servings of apples, walnut frangipane and puff pastry all served up in adorable mini-cast iron skillets. This recipe is easy to make at home with just a few ingredients needed.

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What’s not to love about a puff pastry dessert with it’s light, crispy and flaky texture? Yes, you can make your own puff pastry, but when you are short on time just purchase it from the market in the frozen dessert section. It is no small task to make puff pastry from scratch!

I remember making puff pastry in baking school. I can still visualize the 12 of us working for hours by banging dough and pounds of butter with our rolling pins, then rolling, folding and chilling the dough multiple times. Although this process yields spectacular results, most of us don’t have the time to make it. You can make a ‘quick puff’ pastry but the results will not be the same.

The recipe creates a show-stopper dessert your family and friends will ask for time and again. You may even assemble a day before you need them, pop them in the oven for 15 minutes and – voila – everyone gets an individually served freshly baked dessert.

You will need to make a half batch of my Walnut Frangipane recipe to place under the apples. It bakes up and around the apples creating a base and adding a ton of flavor. The recipe is simple to make and any leftover frangipane may be frozen for up to 3 months.

How to Make the Walnut Frangipane

• Place the brown sugar and softened butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (note: a hand mixer may also be used).
• Begin mixing the brown sugar and butter together on medium speed. Continue to mix until the mixture is lightened and creamy (approximately 3 – 4 minutes). Scrape the bottom and side of the bowl as needed.
• Add the ground walnuts and granulated sugar and mix on low speed until combined.
• Begin adding the room temperature eggs one at a time, mixing on low speed until combined. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl between each addition.
• Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the flour, cinnamon and baking powder.

How to Assemble the Pastries:

• Defrost a sheet of puff pastry in the refrigerator. Once defrosted, lightly flour a work surface and roll puff pastry sheet large enough to cut 6 square 5″ x 5″.
• Place each square of pastry into a mini cast iron skillet. The desserts may also be baked without the skillets by placing on a baking sheet or in a large muffin tin.
• Place 3 tablespoons of walnut frangipane into each pan over the puff pastry dough.
• Layer apple slices on top of the frangipane.
• Fold the puff pastry over itself leaving small openings to allow the steam to escape while baking.
• Lightly whip an egg and, using a pastry brush, apply to the top of each pastry. Sprinkle lightly with raw sugar or granulated sugar.