Childhood nostalgia at its best! Puff pastry envelops a warm apple cinnamon filling and is topped with a hearty vanilla cream cheese drizzle for a homemade toaster strudel.
Grate apples against the large holes on a box grater (watch your fingers!). Don't worry if you don't use the entire apple, it gets too tricky when you get to the end.
2 Autumn Glory Apple
In a medium saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add grated apples and stir to combine.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Add brown sugar, cornstarch or flour, lemon juice, cinnamon, ginger and salt. Turn heat up to medium and stir constantly until the mixture is completely combined and has thickened (10 minutes or so). Remove from heat to cool.
1/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch or all-purpose flour, Juice of 1/2 a lemon, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/8 teaspoon ginger, Pinch salt
Roll out your pastry sheet to be around 11x15". Cut each sheet into 8 equally-sized rectangles.
1 sheet puff pastry
On a baking sheet prepped with a non-stick silicon mat or parchment paper, place 4 of the pastry rectangles with some space between each.
Spoon a heaping tablespoon (or 2, as long as you're evenly distributing the filling you prepared) of filling into the center of each rectangle. Leave yourself about 1/2" space around the edges.
Brush each of the remaining 4 pastry rectangles with your egg wash, and place each wash-side down on top of the filled rectangles.
1 small egg
Use a fork to seal the edges, all the way around, and then prick them all over the top with the fork.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool on pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While they cool, prep your icing! In a small bowl, use a hand mixer to beat cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until completely combined.
2 ounces cream cheese (block, not spread), 1/3-1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar), 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Spoon into a piping bag or plastic bag with a small corner cut off, and pipe onto each pastry. Serve immediately and enjoy the nostalgia!