Rosemary Apple Jelly Danishes

I got the idea for apple rosemary jelly from an Instagram Story on Bon Appetit’s profile almost a year ago and I couldn’t get that flavor combination out of my head. It sounded like the perfect holiday dessert so I held onto it until now. We’re going to make an incredibly delicious dessert by starting with a quick homemade apple jelly and a little help from store-bought frozen puff pastry! Don’t be intimidated if making jelly sounds scary. Don’t worry, it’s pretty simple, actually. And since we’re going to use it right away to top our danishes, we don’t need to mess with the canning process, either. This recipe is loosely based on an apple jelly recipe I shot for The Works about a month ago! I occasionally shoot behind the scenes of some of their classes for them to share on social media and it’s seriously so fun! And bonus: I end up learning a lot by listening to the classes while I shoot, too! If you live in the Seattle area, you should totally check out their class schedule! They offer some pretty fun classes and you’ll always meet fun and interesting people, too.

I chose to make these danishes on the small side because they are pretty sweet but feel free to make them whatever size or shape you’d like. They are a great little treat to have ready for a brunch or even a dessert! Let me know if you make these and please enjoy!

makes 18 danishes

danishes
2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed (1 box)
1 egg, beaten with a splash of water

apple jelly
1 lb apples (about 3-4 medium apples), cored and roughly chopped (skins left on)
2 1/2 c water
juice of 1 lemon
1 1/2 c granulated sugar
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

glaze
1 c powdered sugar
2-3 T half and half (or milk or cream)
pinch of salt

sugared rosemary (optional, to garnish)
1c granulated sugar, divided
1/2 c water
2 sprigs fresh rosemary

make the jelly
To a medium, heavy-bottom saucepan, add the apples and water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to low and allow the mixture to simmer for about 25-30 minutes, until apples are soft and starting to break down. Strain mixture through a mesh strainer and discard the solids. Measure out 2 cups of the liquid, discarding the rest if there’s extra and add the two cups back into the same saucepan you boiled the apples in. Add the sugar, lemon juice, and rosemary and bring to a boil over high heat. Continue to boil until jelly has thickened and has reached 220 F. Remove from heat and remove the sprigs of rosemary. Transfer jelly to a glass jar and allow to cool before using to assemble the danishes.

make sugared rosemary
Add a 1/2 cup of the sugar into a shallow bowl and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and water and cook over medium heat until sugar has melted. Remove from heat and drop the rosemary sprigs, tossing them around so they are fully coated in the syrup. Remove sprigs, letting the excess syrup drip off. Add the rosemary to the bowl of sugar and coat fully. Transfer to a plate and allow to dry.

assemble the danishes
Preheat oven to 400 F. Working with 1 sheet at a time, on a well-floured surface gently unfold one of the thawed puff pastry sheets. Trim each sheet into a 9 x 12 inch rectangle and cut into 12 equal squares and place on a parchment-lined baking tray about an inch apart. Brush each square with a thin layer of the egg wash then add 2 teaspoons of jelly into the center of each square. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until golden brown. While first tray is baking, repeat assembly with second sheet of puff pastry. Allow danishes to cool fully before glazing.

glaze + finish
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, cream, and pinch of salt. The glaze should be thick but drizzlable. Drizzle over the cooled danishes then add a small sprig of the sugared rosemary to each danish, if you’d like. Allow glaze to set before serving.