PREPARATION TIME: 10 MINUTES

COOKING TIME: 30 MINUTES

MAKES: 8

SIMPLE WRAPPED STREETSIDE APPLE DANISH

Picture this: it’s a cold day, European cobblestone streets, the smell of sweet pastries in the air. There could be nothing better. Wash it down with a hot herbal tea. Perfect.

3 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and cut into 2 cm (¾ inch) chunks

20 g (¾ oz) butter

1 tablespoon light brown sugar

2 cardamom pods, bruised

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

85 g (3 oz/½ cup) sultanas (golden raisins)

2 sheets store-bought all-butter puff pastry, cut into quarters

1 free-range egg, beaten

raw (demerara) sugar

icing (confectioners’) sugar, for dusting

Place the apple, butter, brown sugar and spices in a medium heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Cook for approximately 10 minutes, stirring every so often until the apples have softened slightly but still have some bite. Remove the cardamom pods and stir through the sultanas. Allow to cool.

Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F/Gas 6). Place the squares of puff pastry onto two baking trays. Into the centre of each square, spoon 1 tablespoon of the apple mix. Taking each corner of the puff pastry fold over approximately 2 cm (¾ inch) into the square, repeat for each corner (see note).

Brush the pastry with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with raw sugar. Place the pastries into the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until the pastry is puffed and golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on a wire rack. Dust lightly with icing sugar and serve while still warm (see note).

NOTES

∎   When wrapping the danishes, you don’t want to completely conceal the beautiful apple filling, it looks incredible when a little is poking or even oozing a little out the sides.

∎   If you’re not on the run, serve this with a dollop of vanilla ice cream or substitute with some good quality store-bought varieties).