Apple Blossoms

The four corners need to be pressed firmly into the hole of the apple ring, not just laid on top of each other - that hole is what anchors them. Cold puff pastry also holds a fold much better, so if the sheet has gone soft while you were slicing apples, chill the shaped blossoms for a few minutes before they go in. The blueberry pressed into the center helps weigh the tips down as well.

Yes - any smooth jam works, since the recipe already asks for a smooth one so it spreads thinly under the apple ring. Chunky jams with large fruit pieces make the pastry base wet and uneven, so press them through a sieve first or warm them slightly. Keep to about 1 tsp per square either way; more filling will bubble out and stick to the parchment.

You need an apple firm enough to survive being cut into 1 cm rings and 20-25 minutes in the oven without collapsing, so a firm, slightly tart variety is the safer choice. One large apple gives you roughly the eight rings you need for eight pastry squares; with small apples, plan on two. The lemon juice in the recipe keeps the cut rings from browning while you work.

You can shape them fully and keep them covered in the fridge for a couple of hours, then brush with the egg yolk and milk mixture just before baking. Brushing too early leaves the glaze dull and can soften the pastry edges. The powdered sugar always goes on after baking and after the blossoms have cooled briefly, otherwise it simply melts away.

Store them loosely covered at room temperature rather than in a sealed box - trapped steam from the apple is what turns crisp puff pastry soft. They are at their best on the day they are baked; the next day, a few minutes back in the oven at baking temperature revives the layers. Dust with fresh powdered sugar afterwards, since the first dusting will have dissolved.