Last updated on September 8th, 2024 at 06:57 pm
If these flaky apple cinnamon squares aren’t the easiest and most delicious little desserts to make I don’t know what is. I am in love with using filo pastry at the moment. So expect to see a lot more of it here. Although its delicate to work with especially if you are clumsy like me, I found this extremely easy. As with all my recipes the promise of fast, easy and yummy for the whole family is here.
I first saw this cream in a magazine and thought the flavors sounded great together but after making it a few times it just seems to be tasting like it needed more. So I have tweaked it a few times and found what I think works best for these flaky apple-cinnamon squares.
Flaky Apple-Cinnamon Squares
Ingredients
For the cream
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 250 g ricotta cheese
- 1/2 tsp sugar
For the glaze
- 30 g unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
For the pastry
- 8 filo pastry sheets
- 2 red apples
- sugar to top
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C)
For the cream
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Blend all ingredients and set in the fridge
For the glaze
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Melt butter in a saucepan and add maple syrup and cinnamon, set aside to glaze
For the pastry
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Sprinkle flour on your counter top to avoid sticking
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Lay out one filo pastry sheet
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Brush glaze completely over it including sides
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Layer another filo pastry sheet on top and brush with glaze
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Continue to layer and glaze until all sheets are used
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Add a good layer of glaze to the very top
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Slice apples as thin as you can and apply to the top of filo pastry stacks
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Sprinkle sugar across the top
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Pop them into the oven for 10 minutes or until golden brown
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Serve with a scoop of whipped ricotta cream mixture on top and a cup of coffee or tea!
Recipe Notes
Some people prefer their apples really thin but I quite liked the thicker cooked apple taste to these. Up to you! Would be great served with vanilla ice cream if you don't like ricotta cheese mixture too!
I love a good excuse to play with my food and take a few photos. Playing around with the maple syrup and the apple seeds was fun. I really liked how thick my apples were even though most tart recipes call for very thin sliced apples, I like mine like this so it cooks the juices right into the pastry. It gives it a lot more flavor but only my opinion.
Below are a few styling photos, what do you think? Am I getting better? I love food photography almost as much as taking photos of my kids. Always trying to improve on how to focus in on the detail and get that angle just right.
My flaky apple cinnamon squares are quite big so when you serve them up for the kids, I cut one square into four again. So each piece has one slice of apple on it. Perfect for the tots at this size and add a dollop of cream on top, just to watch their eyes go wide in anticipation.
I know one of the rules of food photography is that you should always check the spoon for reflections. Unfortunately I cannot move the house behind my house and therefore when I take photos from the kitchen the house reflection is always right in the way. Any tips to get rid of this I am all ears? I have heard the toothpaste trick but the maple syrup here just took it off! lol
Try it out, and let me know what you think! I love to hear back from readers that have tried my recipes or photos they took of their own. Please do share! Suggestions are always open too for substituting or changing it up !
Enjoy!
Linking up to Honest Mum for #TastyTuesdays & A Mummy Too for #recipeoftheweek!
Jenny this looks fabulous! We brought back a HUGE bottle of maple syrup from a visit to New Hampshire last year, so I will definitely be trying this cream. And you just can’t go wrong with apple and cinnamon, can you?
I love your photos by the way, the top one is gorgeous. Maybe an old, dull spoon would solve the reflection problem? It’s a tricky one, isn’t it!
Yes I have been looking everywhere for an vintage or antique spoon. If you know where to get one tell me! lol
That looks amazing! I wonder how peaches would do in place of apples? I would love to give it a try with some fresh tapped maple syrup…yum!
Oh I bet that would be amazing. Try it and let me know. lol i don’t see why not?
These look amazing Jenny, and fab that they aren’t loaded with sugar 🙂 #tastytuesdays
Thanks hun. You could even cut the sugar out of the cream and not sprinkle it on top and it would still taste just as amazing, I promise.
Looks great and your photos really rock. Love the one with the slate and icing sugar especially and personally think the reflection in the spoon adds something!
Thanks Sarah so sweet of you. I could play around cooking and photoing food all day long. i love it. The slate was my favorite too.
Apple and cinnamon is always a winning combination. These squares sound lovely!
So true. I love any recipe with apple and/or cinnamon you are right great combo. Cinnamon will often appear in my recipes, I love it so much. Try them out next time you have guests over.
Love these, you made them look so pretty
Thank you! I love any excuse to get the camera out and play with some props.
These look amazing Jenny! I’m already thinking about other combinations that might work 🙂 I really like your photos, I’ve been keeping my food styling super simple, white backgrounds! But, I want to start getting a bit more adventurous 🙂
Do Sara food photography and styling is so much fun. Although I am a little obsessed with it at the moment. lol Can you tell? lol Hope that doesn’t put people off my blog. Trying to keep them to a minimum on my recipes. hahaha
oooh these sound delicious Jenny and i love how easy they are to make and i love your styling too – that plate is so pretty x
Thanks Jenny. I love styling photos especially with food and flowers. They are so simple. I always share only fast, easy, family friendly recipes.
These look yummy!
Thanks Alice. Try them out. You won’t be disappointed.
These look incredible and your food styling and photography is so pretty, it looks professional! I love the new look of your blog and new profile pic which is beautiful! Thanks for linking up to #tastytuesdays
Thanks I am going to do a complete whole new design but thought I best update the header with new photos of the kids for now. I love styling food photos. Someday when I am really good I hope to photo food for recipe books or magazines. But that’s a long way off. Lol
I really love the look of these, bet they were really tasty. Love your plate as well
Thank you. Try them so easy to make ans delicious too!!