Puff Pastry Apple Walnut Braid

Puff Pastry Apple Walnut Braid 

Cook's Notes: 

Skip a trip to the bakery and make your own puff pastry braid with cinnamon, apple, and walnut filling. Not only is it delicious, but it also makes quite an impressive presentation. It makes about 6-8 servings, and the recipe was adapted from Cuisine at Home magazine. Use a serrated knife to cut. 

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter
•  5 cups cubed and peeled Honey-Crisp apples
• 1/2 cup apple cider
• 1 large egg, beaten 
• 2 teaspoons water
• 1 package of puff pastry sheets (2 sheets-whole box)
• 3 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar 
• 2 teaspoons flour 
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon Saigon cinnamon or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup toasted walnuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

• Thaw puff pastry in the box overnight in the refrigerator. Remove from the fridge. 
• Cover a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  
• Whisk together egg and water and set aside.
• Mix in a small bowl brown sugar, flour, and spices. Set aside. 
• Dice the apples and melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add apples and cook until softened, uncovered, about 6-8 minutes. 
• Increase the heat to medium-high and add cider. Stir occasionally until the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes.
• Cover a plate with a paper towel. Add cooked apples and cool 10 minutes. 
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
• On a large piece of wax paper, press two puff pastry sheets together lengthwise, overlapping by an inch, until you have a 17 x 9-inch rectangle. Flip the rectangle over on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Sprinkle the brown mixture down the center. Place the cooked apple in the center and sprinkle nuts on top.

• On the left and right side brush lengthwise about a 1-1/2 inches the beaten egg wash.
• With a pizza cutter, cut 1-inch diagonal strips. 

• Criss-cross each strip all the way down the puff pastry braid.  Bake for 24- 25 minutes.
• In a small bowl, add cream, a dash of salt, and vanilla to confectioners' sugar, whisk until smooth. 
• Let the pastry cool for 10 minutes, and then drizzle the glaze over the braid. 
• Reheat leftovers on a baking sheet at 400 degrees for 3 minutes.

• Pour yourself a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy.