Braided Apple Pastry - Breakfast Baking

Servings: 1 braided pastry - 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients:
2 cups (500 mL) peeled and diced Granny Smith or other tart apple
2 tsp (10 mL) lemon juice
1/3 cup (70 g) packed light brown sugar
1 tsp (5 mL) ground cinnamon
1 sheet (8-12 oz/240-360 g) puff pastry, thawed but chilled
1 egg mixed with 2 tbsp (30 mL) water for egg wash
Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400 °F (200 °C) and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. Toss the apple with the lemon juice and let sit for 5 minutes. Squeeze out the excess juices and toss the apples with the brown sugar and cinnamon.

3. Place the sheet of puff pastry onto the parchment-lined baking tray. Make 8-10 angled cut on each side of the pastry so that they look like chevrons and leaving about 4-inches (10 cm) intact in the centre of the pastry. Spoon the apple filling down the centre of the pastry. Fold over a bit of the pastry at the top and bottom and then, starting at the top, fold each strip of pastry over the apples, alternating left and right (this creates the braided effect).

4. Brush the entire pastry with the egg wash and sprinkle with Turbinado sugar. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the pastry is a rich golden brown. Allow the pastry to cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

The pastry is best eaten the day it is baked, but can also be chilled and re-warmed in a low oven to serve later.