You guys.  This is one of the best desserts I have ever made, and you know I don’t say that lightly.  It was perfection.  The buttery flaky puff pastry.  The sweet brown sugar and cinnamon mixed with the tart granny smith apples.  It could not have been better balanced or more delicious.  And I slaved over it for… wait for it….

5 minutes.

The extent of my efforts was to peel and slice 3 apples.  The rest of this practically made itself.

While we’re on the subject of easy things, lets talk about puff pastry for a minute.  I get mine in the freezer section of the grocery store, next to the frozen pies.

Even the Barefoot Contessa buys it from the store, and that’s saying something.  Is it not one of the most delicious, yet elegant looking things ever? I love it.  It deserves a national holiday.  Why is it that we have national doughnut day and national pie day, but not national puff pastry day?

Lets make it a thing.

This recipe is practically effortless, but it looks so impressive.  I love recipes like that.  I made it for a family dinner tonight.  The barista at the Starbucks drive through saw it on my passenger seat and said “Oooooh, what is that?”

When I brought it in to my in-laws house everybody was oohing and ahhing.  It looks like it took a long time to make.  Now everybody knows my secret.

This would be a great addition to a brunch, and is a great dessert to serve at a dinner party.  I served mine with vanilla ice cream.  Sweetened whipped cream would be amazing too.

Recipe adapted from The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
1 box (2 sheets) frozen puff pastry
3 medium granny smith apples, peeled and sliced evenly
1 cup brown sugar (I know, I know, if you’re looking for healthy food, you’re in the wrong place.)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Remove your puff pastry from the freezer.  Separate the two sheets on a piece of parchment paper and let them defrost for about 30 minutes.

Peel and slice your apples as evenly as possible.  Toss them into a bowl with the brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set them aside to get nice and juicy.  Preheat your oven to 415°

Cut each puff pastry sheet in half and place onto two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.  Working neatly, line the apples down the center of each sheet of puff pastry.

Bake for 18-20 minutes until pastry is puffed and golden. Expect some spillage/leakage of that glorious cinnamon sugar mixture.  It’s okay.   Remove from oven and cool.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired, and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Enjoy!