Apple Crostata with Salted Maple Whipped Cream
Crostata is truly one of the easiest desserts you can make on a weeknight.
Simply take pre-made puff pastry and create a fruit filling of your choice. I am using Gravenstein apples which are a tart variety from Sonoma County perfect for apple cider, sauce or pie making.
Ingredients
1 - 1.5 lbs of tart apples, peeled, cored and diced (about 3 large or 6 small apples)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 sheet pre-made puff pastry, Dufour brand*
1 cup of heavy whipping cream
2 tbsp high quality maple syrup
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
Serves 4
Directions
Prior to making the crostata, remove your puff pastry from the freezer about 30 minutes before you need to roll it out. Ice cold puff pastry will break and be difficult to work with but slightly warmed puff pastry will be pliable.
Melt the unsalted butter in a pan and cook your diced apples over medium heat. Season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt to help soften and release some of the liquid from the apples. After eight minutes, your apple pieces should be softened but not mushy. At this point, add in your brown sugar and spices. As the brown sugar melts, it will create a caramel that coats the apple pieces. Once melted, remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly while you prepare your puff pastry.
Preheat your oven to 350-degrees. Roll out your puff pastry to a 9-inch circle. I use a bowl and a pairing knife to cut a perfect circle. Spoon your cooled filling into the center and spread it out leaving about a 2-inch space of puff pastry dough around the edge. You may not need to use all of your filling depending on how high you pile it in the center. Fold up the outside flaps of the dough to the center overlapping until it has been completely rolled up. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle the flaps with turbinado sugar.
Cool the entire crostata in the fridge for 30 minutes prior to baking it in the oven. Cooling the puff pastry one more time will ensure the dough puffs up and becomes crispy. Once ready, bake at 350-degrees for about 30-45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven to cool.
While the crostata is cooling, make the salted whipped cream by combining the maple syrup and salt with the heavy cream. Hand whip or use a stand mixer to create soft peaks and set aside. Once the pastry is cooled, top with the salted maple whipped cream and enjoy!