Puff Pastry
Ingredients:
- Puff pastry: 1 sheet (thawed)
- Powdered sugar: As needed (for dusting)
Steps:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
- Roll out the thawed puff pastry on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Prick the surface all over with a fork.
- Cover with another sheet of parchment paper and place another baking sheet on top to weigh it down.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let it cool, then cut into 12 equal rectangles.
- Dust with powdered sugar and briefly return to the oven to caramelize the sugar, about 2-3 minutes.
Caramel Apple Layer
Ingredients:
- Apples: 4 medium (peeled, cored, and thinly sliced)
- Sugar: 1/2 cup
- Butter: 4 tbsp (3 tbsp for caramel, 1 tbsp for coating the pan)
- Cinnamon: 1 tsp (ground)
Steps:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Coat the inside of a bread loaf pan with 1 tablespoon of butter to prevent sticking.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and add the sugar. Stir until the sugar has completely melted and the mixture turns a golden-brown caramel color.
- Pour the caramel into the prepared loaf pan, tilting it to coat the bottom evenly.
- Layer the apple slices over the caramel in the loaf pan, sprinkling each layer with cinnamon.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the apples are just tender. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
Cream Filling
Ingredients:
- Heavy cream: 1 cup (cold)
- Powdered sugar: 2 tbsp
- Vanilla extract: 1 tsp
Steps:
- In a bowl, whisk the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, and continue to whisk until stiff peaks form.
Assembly
Steps:
- Place a piece of puff pastry on a plate.
- Spread a layer of cream filling over the pastry.
- Invert the bread loaf pan to release a layer of caramel-coated apples and place on top of the cream.
- Place another piece of pastry on top and repeat the layers.
- Top with the third piece of puff pastry, dust with powdered sugar, and serve immediately.