Dutch Apple Beignets with Puff Pastry
Dutch Apple Beignets (Appelbeignets) come in two versions in the Netherlands, one you make at home which consists of a slice of apple dipped in batter and deep fried in oil (also called Appelflappen by some, read more about that in my Appelflappen vs Appelbeignets post) and the version you can buy at the bakery or supermarket which is a slice of apple packed into puff pastry and deep fried in oil. This recipe focuses on the apple beignets with puff pastry. If you’re looking for the apples dipped in batter version check out my Dutch apple fritters recipe.
How To Make Dutch Apple Beignets With Puff Pastry
Making Dutch apple beignets with puff pastry is really easy.
All you need is an apple, puff pastry, a little bit of almond paste, some butter and cinnamon. You can buy almond paste or make some yourself with my recipe for homemade almond paste.
Start by mixing together your almond paste, cinnamon and some butter. If you’re using ready made puff pastry from the freezer for the dutch apple beignet make sure it’s thawed before use.
Peel and slice your apple and take out the core and slice them into thick slices. I get about 3 big slices out of one apple. Put a piece of puff pastry big enough to fit your apple slice on your work surface and brush with some water. Put one slice of apple on your puff pastry and fill it with your almond paste mixture. Cover the apple slice with another piece of puff pastry and make sure to tightly seal the edges around the apple slice. Use a cutter to cut out the puff pastry covered apple slice, make sure there’s some puff pastry left around the edges so you’ll be left with a nice cut out dutch apple beignet.
I use a cutter with scalloped edges because that gives them the same look as when you buy them at the bakery. But you can also use a cutter with straight edges. Make sure your cutter is big enough to fit around your apple as well as leave some dough around the apple slice. You could also use a small bowl to cut the apple out if you don’t have a cutter that’s big enough.
In the Netherlands we can buy square piece of puff pastry but for this recipe a square piece isn’t necessary, just make sure you have puff pastry that’s big enough to cover the apple and leave some dough around the edges to make sure the apple is secure in the puff pastry. Whatever type of puff pastry you’re using, you’ll have some leftover scraps of puff pastry after cutting. You can keep these in the freezer and, when you’ve got enough use at a later date to, for example make sugar palmiers. The palmiers won’t puff up as high as they would when using ‘fresh’ puff pastry, but they’ll taste good. I usually do something like this with my leftover puff pastry scraps. It’s an easy and tasty way to net let your puff pastry scraps go to waste.
Take your cut out and sealed apple beignet and slowly drop them into the hot oil of a deep fryer, or you can fry them in a pan filled with oil. Make sure the oil is 375°F/190°C. I always use sunflower or peanut oil. When the pastry starts to puff at the top you can flip the dutch apple beignets over. Fry them until they’re golden brown.
When the apple beignets are done, leave them to cool for a few minutes. While still warm roll them in cinnamon sugar. You can choose to only have cinnamon sugar on top or all over.
Serve the Dutch apple beignets while they’re still warm.
| Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Cook Time | 7 minutes |
| Servings |
apple beignets |
- 6 pieces puff pastry (approx 4 inch x 4 inch / 10 cm x 10 cm) or big enough to fit your apple slice
- 1 apple sour or sweet and sour apple
- 1 tablespoon almond paste 15 gram
- 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon butter 5 gram
- 3 tablespoons cinnamon sugar 3 tablespoons sugar mixed with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- round cutter with scalloped edges
Ingredients
Apple Beignets
Topping
Equipment
| |
- Combine almond paste, cinnamon and some butter till all is incorporated into a smooth paste.
- Peel the apple, take out the core and slice into thick slices of 0.6 inch - 0.8 inch (1.5 cm- 2 cm thick).
- Put a piece of puff pastry big enough to fit your apple slice on your work surface and brush with some water. Put one slice of apple on your puff pastry and fill it with your almond paste mixture. Cover the apple slice with another piece of puff pastry and make sure to tightly seal the edges around the apple slice. Use a (scalloped) cutter to cut out the puff pastry covered apple slice, make sure there's some puff pastry left around the edges that's sealed to ensure no oil can get into the pastry.
- Bake them in a sunflower oil at 375°F/190°C. for 7-8 minutes till golden brown. When the pastry starts to puff at the top you can flip the dutch apple beignets over.
- Leave to cool slightly before rolling them in cinnamon sugar.
- Server while still warm.
- Use sour or sweet and sour apples.
- You can also coat the apples in cinnamon and sugar for extra sweetness.
- If you're making a big batch of apple beignets put the cut out apple beignets into the fridge till you're ready to fry them
- You can reheat apple beignets in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and put them in the oven for 5-8 minutes.
Did you try them in the airfryer?
No, I haven’t. I’ll have to see if there’s a way to air fry these one day.
In Holland an appelflap is the same as an appleturnover.
An applebeignet is in 2 varieties, in puffpastrie deepfried, or in batter deepfried.
I know, I explain the difference and a bit of the history here: https://cakieshq.com/the-difference-between-a-dutch-appelbeignet-and-a-dutch-appelflap/
I’m Dutch myself and living in Amsterdam. Appelflap vs Appelbeignet is a never ending discussion in the Netherlands 😀
But whatever someone decides to call them, I just know I love to eat them.