There’s something about Autumn that makes me want to wrap just about everything in pastry.

Apples, pears, pumpkin, or cinnamon-spiced anything, if it can be tucked into a buttery flaky crust, I’m ready to preheat the oven.

These apple-filled braided pastries fit in just fine with that sentiment, and truly represent a tasty little celebration of the Fall season.

The beauty of this lovely pastry is the braided presentation.

And part of the appeal is that no two braids need to ever look exactly alike, but each one maintains that polished criss-crossed wrap.

The golden strands puff and separate slightly as they bake, revealing a little glimpse of the spiced, delicious apple filling tucked inside.

Whether you’re making a homemade dough or using a prepared puff pastry, keeping everything cool is one of the secrets to success. If you’re making your own dough, start with cold butter and ice-chilled water.

Work the butter into the flour just until you have a mixture with small visible pieces of butter. Resist the temptation to overwork the dough.

Those little bits of butter help to create delicate, flaky layers when any pastry bakes.

NOTE: This recipe in this blog post produces a slightly thicker dough, which has a texture that is more like a light Brioche than a puff pastry.

Tips for Successful Dough

Keep butter cold. Cold butter creates steam pockets during baking, which contributes to great crust texture.
Don’t overfill when it comes to the filling. Overfilling can cause the braid to filling to burst through the braid during baking. A little will spill out regardless, but you don’t want your dough to lose it all.
Chill the dough before baking. Cold pastry going into a hot oven helps to preserve the shape and texture of the pastry.
Add a light layer of egg wash over the entire pastry before baking, to ensure a consistent and even golden brown bake.

The filling is where the distinct quintessential fall flavors really come to life. Choose firm baking apples that hold their shape rather than turning into applesauce in the oven.

Granny Smith apples are wonderful choices, and so are Honeycrip or Braeburn which have a little more natural sweetness. You can also opt for a variety of chopped apples for a fun flavor combination.

Consider making the filling and use as fruity breakfast topping too. How yummy would these be on piping hot pancakes? That’s the adaptability of apple filling.

A generous sprinkle of cinnamon and nutmeg creates that familiar homespun flavor we typically associate with Fall baking. Step it up with a touch of cardamom or ground ginger to add a more unexpected and fragrant twist.

I didn’t add nuts to this recipe but you certainly could with a generous cup of chopped walnuts or pecans or even dried cranberries to contribute a pleasantly tart note.

Consider a splash of vanilla, almond extract or even a spoonful of bourbon to mix up the flavors even more. I think you can see the combinations are only limited by your own imagination and taste buds.

This dessert process is a lovely reminder that baking doesn’t always have to be about getting something into the oven as quickly as possible.

Sometimes, the pleasure is in the making, in gently stretching the dough, weaving the strands and taking a moment to appreciate the little details created by your own hand.

The braiding of the pastry is my favorite part of this recipe.

Think about the braiding steps as if you’re lacing new gym shoes. You know, the way the strings criss cross over each other is pretty much the same way you criss cross the pastry strips.

Just make sure you braid the strips slowly and gently to prevent the strip from accidentally tearing. I’ve had that happen and it’s disappointing.

Also, make sure you tuck the end of each strip you’re brading up under the bun on the opposite side. This helps to ensure a cleanly-shaped pastry where all strips are even with all the strip-ends tucked neatly up under the dessert.

If you’d like to see another version of this braided pastry technique, check out my previous post on How to Braid Pastry, HERE.

Food in Motion

Meanwhile, I continue to work on my food-on-the-move videography series, and I’ve included my latest Food in Motion video below, featuring these Braided Brioche Pastries for your viewing pleasure.

Click box below to watch the video over on my YouTube channel, and please consider subscribing, as I continue to work on growing my audience on that platform too.

Ingredients

FOR THE PASTRY

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
8 tbsp unsalted butter, cold
6 tbsp ice water
1 egg, for egg wash.
1 tsp milk, for egg wash
2 tbsp confectioner's sugar, for dusting

FOR THE APPLE FILLING

6 Medium apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp butter
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp apple spice
4 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp water
1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Instructions

FOR THE FILLING

Wash, peel and core apples. Chop apples in small dice-size pieces.
Add the apples, sugar and the 3-tablespoons of water.
Cook apples and stir until the apples are bubbly.
Combine the cornstarch with the 2-tablespoons of water and add to the apple mixture.
Continue to stir continuously until the mixture has thickened and allow to cook for another few minutes.
Remove from heat, set aside and allow to cool.

PASTRY AND ASSEMBLY

Whisk the flour, sugar and salt together in small bowl.
Add the cold butter and the flour mixture to a food processor and pulse into pea-size crumbs.
Add ice water over the mixture, one tablespoon at a time and pulse until the dough comes together into a ball.
You may not need all 6 tablespoons of water, just enough to bring the dough into a ball.
If you don't have a food processor, use a pastry cutter to mix the butter and flour, add the water and form a ball by hand.
Place the dough ball in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic or cotton tea towel and allow to rest for at least one hour.
Deflate the dough. Cut the ball into 6-8 equal size balls.
Lightly flour work surface, roll out each singular ball into a rectangular shape.
Use a knife or bench scraper to lightly score a one inch wide area in the center of the dough. Cut 1/4-inch slices on each side of the scored inch.
Spoon apple filling into the center of the dough. Gently and alternately fold each slice of cut pastry on either side of the center from one side to the other, creating a braided pattern. Think the same criss-cross effect as lacing shoe laces on a pair of sneakers.
Chill pastries for 10 minutes in the refrigerator before baking.
Whisk egg and milk to make egg wash. Brush mixture on pastries before baking.
Bake pastries at 350-degrees for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.
Dust pastries with confectioner's sugar, after they're completely cooled.

As Autumn settles in and apples begin making their seasonal appearance, as I mentioned a little earlier, it’s hard noto be inspired by all the possibilities.

Apple crisps, caramel apple cakes, rustic galettes and cinnamon-laced pies all have their charms, of course. But these braided apple pastries are especially inviting.

The pastry lovers in your life will appreciate the taste, texture and your braided presentation.

I hope you’re inspired to give these braided apple pastries a try.

Thanks so much for popping by.

See you back here next time.

xoxo

Hi, I'm Lisa Tutman-Oglesby

Braided Apple Pastries

Tips for Successful Dough

Food in Motion