Mini Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Danishes

Flaky puff pastry baked until golden brown, filled with fresh apples dipped in homemade salted caramel sauce and topped with a buttery, pecan crumble. Welcome Fall with these apple crumble danishes!

This post is sponsored by The Fillo Factory but all opinions and thoughts are my own.

Your new favorite Fall dessert!

It may sounds like I’m exaggerating but when you try these mini salted caramel apple crumble danishes you won’t go back to regular apple crumble. Just imagine, having a buttery and flaky danish filled with salted caramel and cinnamon spiced apples for breakfast. No better way to start your day! The recipes takes just 1 hour and the frozen puff pastry dough makes the process so easy. These mini danishes are bursting with flavor and will be a showstopper to any brunch.

Ingredients for Mini Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Danishes

• The Fillo Factory Organic Puff Pastry: I cannot recommend this puff pastry dough enough. It is organic, made with just four ingredients and its quality is amazing. There is the perception that puff pastry is hard to work with. It is true, if you are using the wrong puff pastry brand. The Fillo Factory Puff Pastry Dough is properly packaged. That way, you can easily unfold it and work with it. Most importantly, it is light, fluffy and puffs up beautifully.
• Apples: What apples work best for apple crumble? After many tests, I find a combination of Honeycrisp and Pink Lady apples to perform best. They are crisp with a delicate sweet-tart flavor which pair perfectly with warm spices and caramel. Granny Smith and Gala varieties work equally well. I suggest using two varieties of apples for a more complex taste but you may also use just one.
• Salted Caramel: It is no secret that caramel and apples work miracles together. I found that salted caramel has a more buttery flavor that compliments ideally the puff pastry dough for this recipe. The saltiness enhances the caramel flavor and adds more depth.
• Spices: Ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and ground ginger give the perfect fall vibes and intense warm aromas to these pastries.

How to Make Mini Salted Caramel Apple Crumbles

Defrost puff pastry in refrigerator for 2 hours or one hour at room temperature before use.

Salted Caramel:

In a medium saucepan whisk together granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, until the granulated sugar has completely dissolved. It will take between 3-5 minutes. Continue cooking over medium-low heat for about 8-9 more minutes until the mixture turns to a deep golden brown color. Do not stir at all during this step!

Remove saucepan from heat and pour heavy cream while whisking vigorously. Be careful, as the caramel will immediately start bubbling. Return to heat and stir in butter and vanilla extract until fully incorporated. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in salt. The caramel should be smooth without any lumps. Transfer caramel to a mason jar and set aside to completely cool before using.

Apple Filling:

In a medium bowl add peeled and cubed apples and toss with lemon juice. Make sure all apples are coated. Melt butter in a medium saucepan and then add the apples. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove saucepan from heat and sprinkle with ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and ground ginger. Give it a stir. Pour 1/2 cup of the room temperature caramel and stir until well combined (see photo 1). Set aside.

Apple Crumble Topping:

In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, chopped pecans, ground cinnamon and salt. Add melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture is evenly moistened (see photo 2). Set aside.

Assemble:

Preheat oven to 400°F (200C). Unfold the puff pastry sheets and lay out on a clean work surface. Use a knife to cut along the fold marks to create three equal sized strips. Cut each strip in three to make a total of 18 rectangles.Transfer puff pastry rectangles into 2 large ungreased baking sheets. Space them 1 inch apart. Using a paring knife, lightly score a 1 inch border around the edges of each pastry rectangle, then use a fork to prick the center area of each one (see photo 3 & 4).

Use a pastry crimper and roll around the edges of each puff pastry rectangle. Spoon the apple filling onto each puff pastry piece (see photo 5). Make sure the filling stays inside the scored border. Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the apple filling (see photo 6).

Whisk together the egg and water. Brush the edges of each puff pastry rectangle with a thin layer of egg wash (see photo 6). Bake pastries for 20 minutes until golden brown and puffed. Remove pastries from the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes.

Glaze (Optional):

Whisk together powdered sugar, heavy cream and pure vanilla extract until it reaches a thin glue-like consistency. Drizzle on top of the warm apple crumble danishes and serve. Enjoy!

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions:

You can prepare salted caramel sauce in advance and store in refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before use. You can also prepare the puff pastry and crumble topping a night before baking. Arrange the puff pastry in baking sheets as instructed and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Likewise, cover the crumble topping and refrigerate. Follow the rest of the recipe as shown. The mini salted caramel apple crumble danishes are best served warm, the same day they’re made. You may refrigerate leftovers covered, for up to 2 days.

Can you freeze Mini Salted Apple Crumble Danishes? Yes! Place any leftovers on a single layer uncovered in the freezer until they’re completely frozen. Then, wrap the frozen pastries tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and freeze up to two weeks.

Treat yourself to a batch of these mini salted caramel apple crumble danishes. You will love how this recipe is not overly sweet yet the apple filling is perfectly tender and moist and the crumble topping is golden brown but not dry. If you decide to give this recipe a go, please share your thoughts with us and leave a comment below.

If you love this recipe, try these out!

• Easy Cinnamon Spiced Apple Raisin Crumble
• Ravani – Greek Syrup Soaked Semolina Cake
• Greek Halva Pudding with Raisins
• “Kokakia” Greek Cream Puffs with Chocolate Glaze
• Easy Crispy Cinnamon Sugar Cookies

Did you make this recipe? Tag @siftnwhisk on Instagram and hashtag it #siftnwhisk.

Mini Salted Caramel Apple Crumble Danishes

Christianna | Siftnwhisk

Flaky puff pastry baked until golden brown, filled with fresh apples dipped in homemade salted caramel sauce and topped with a buttery, pecan crumble. Welcome Fall with these apple crumble danishes!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 18

Calories 316 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

Puff Pastry

• 16 oz The Fillo Factory Organic Puff Pastry 2 sheets thawed

Salted Caramel

• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/4 cup Water
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp Salt

Apple Filling

• 1/2 cup Homemade Salted Caramel
• 3 Medium Apples peeled and cubed, about 370g
• 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1 ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger

Topping

• 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
• 1/3 cup Old-Fashioned Oats
• 1/4 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Pecans chopped
• 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter melted
• 1 Egg
• 1 tbsp Water

Glaze (Optional)

• 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
• 2 tbsp Heavy Cream
• 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Instructions

 

Puff Pastry

• Defrost puff pastry in refrigerator for 2 hours or one hour at room temperature before use.
  16 oz The Fillo Factory Organic Puff Pastry

Salted Caramel

• In a medium saucepan whisk together granulated sugar and water.
  1 cup Granulated Sugar, 1/4 cup Water
• Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, until the granulated sugar has completely dissolved. It will take between 3-5 minutes.
• Continue cooking over medium-low heat for about 8-9 more minutes until the mixture turns to a deep golden brown color. Do not stir at all during this step!
• Remove saucepan from heat and pour heavy cream while whisking vigorously. Be careful, as the caramel will immediately start bubbling.
  1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• Return to heat and stir in butter and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
  2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• Remove saucepan from heat and stir in salt. The caramel should be smooth without any lumps.
  1 tsp Salt
• Transfer caramel to a mason jar and set aside to completely cool before using.

Apple Filling

• In a medium bowl add peeled and cubed apples and toss with lemon juice. Make sure all apples are coated.
  3 Medium Apples, 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
• Melt butter in a medium saucepan and then add the apples. Cook over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  2 tbsp Unsalted Butter
• Remove saucepan from heat and sprinkle with ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and ground ginger. Give it a stir.
  1 ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Ground Nutmeg, 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
• Pour 1/2 cup of the room temperature caramel and stir until well combined. Set aside.
  1/2 cup Homemade Salted Caramel

Topping

• In a medium bowl, combine all-purpose flour, old-fashioned oats, brown sugar, chopped pecans, ground cinnamon and salt.
  1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour, 1/3 cup Old-Fashioned Oats, 1/4 cup Brown Sugar, 1/4 cup Pecans, 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon, 1/4 tsp Salt
• Add melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture is evenly moistened. Set aside.
  4 tbsp Unsalted Butter

Assemble

• Preheat oven to 400°F (200C).
• Unfold the puff pastry sheets and lay out on a clean work surface. Use a knife to cut along the fold marks to create three equal sized strips. Cut each strip in three to make a total of 18 rectangles.
  16 oz The Fillo Factory Organic Puff Pastry
• Transfer puff pastry rectangles into 2 large ungreased baking sheets. Space them 1 inch apart.
• Using a paring knife, lightly score a 1 inch border around the edges of each pastry rectangle, then use a fork to prick the center area of each one.
• Use a pastry crimper and roll around the edges of each puff pastry rectangle.
• Spoon the apple filling onto each puff pastry piece. Make sure the filling stays inside the scored border.
• Sprinkle the crumble mixture over the apple filling.
• Whisk together the egg and water. Brush the edges of each puff pastry rectangle with a thin layer of egg wash.
  1 Egg, 1 tbsp Water
• Bake pastries for 20 minutes until golden brown and puffed.
• Remove pastries from the oven. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes.

Glaze (Optional)

• Whisk together powdered sugar, heavy cream and pure vanilla extract until it reaches a thin glue-like consistency.
  1/2 cup Powdered Sugar, 2 tbsp Heavy Cream, 1/2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• Drizzle on top of the warm apple crumble danishes and serve.
• Enjoy!

Notes

• Salted Caramel: You can use homemade or store bought salted caramel for this recipe.
• If making your own salted caramel, you may adjust salt to your liking.
• Don’t leave caramel unattended as it can burn fastly.
•  Avoid halving or doubling the salted caramel recipe. This will prevent sugar from melting properly.
• You can store the remaining salted caramel in the refrigerator covered airtightly for up to 1 month.
• Apple Filling: I used Honeycrisp and Pink Lady apples. You may also use Granny Smith or Gala apples.
• You can use sliced apples instead of cubed.
• Do not overcook apples. 5-7 minutes are enough to soften the apples but still maintain their texture.
• Puff Pastry: I used “The Fillo Factory Organic Puff Pastry”.
• By scoring the outside border, the pasty will rise and puff up while baking and the center will stay shorter and hold the apple filling.
• Glaze: If it’s too thick, add a touch more liquid. If it’s too thin, add a bit more sugar.
• Make Ahead & Storage Instructions: You can prepare salted caramel sauce in advance and store in refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before use.
• You can also prepare the puff pastry and crumble topping a night before baking. Arrange the puff pastry in baking sheets as instructed and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Likewise, cover the crumble topping and refrigerate. Follow the rest of the recipe as shown.
• These mini salted caramel apple crumble danishes are best served warm, the same day they’re made. You may refrigerate leftovers covered, for up to 2 days.
• Have any questions about the recipe or want to ask for substitutions? Please contact us.

Nutrition

Calories: 316kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 3gFat: 19gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 34mgSodium: 233mgPotassium: 81mgFiber: 2gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 308IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg

Keyword apples, butter, caramel, cinnamon, fall dessert, puff pastry, rolledoats

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