Gluten-Free Cheat’s Apple, Caramel and Custard Danishes

To make the pastry cream, add the milk and almond extract to a saucepan and place over a medium heat. Stir the milk every so often and as soon as it comes to a boil, remove it from the heat.

Whisk the caster sugar, egg yolks and cornstarch together in a heat-proof bowl until smooth. Slowly pour the milk over the egg mixture, whisking all of the time to temper the egg yolks (and to prevent them from scrambling).

Return the mixture to the saucepan and place back over a medium heat, whisking constantly for 2-3 minutes, or until the cream bubbles and thickens. Take off the heat and transfer to a clean bowl.

Whisk the pastry cream for a few minutes to cool it further, then whisk in the butter. Cover the surface with a sheet of cling film and let cool to room temperature before placing in the fridge to chill completely (it will keep for up to 3 days).

To make the cinnamon apple cider caramel, pour the cloudy apple juice into a large saucepan and place over a medium heat. Reduce to half, then add the maple syrup, butter, salt, cinnamon and apple cider vinegar. Whisk together until combined and bring to the boil. Cook, for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, or until the caramel has thickened and you can see large bubbles on the surface. Remove from the heat and let cool.

Unroll the Jus-Rol™ Gluten-free Puff Pastry Ready Rolled Sheet and cut it in half lengthways. Cut each half into 3 equal pieces. Lift the pastry squares, still on the baking paper, onto a baking tray and preheat the oven to 180℃ fan.

Fold a pastry square in half diagonally, then place the flat edge in front of you. Without meeting at the middle point (you want the strips to still be attached), make 2 cuts parallel to the edges of the triangle 1 cm in. Unfold the pastry and brush beaten egg around the edges, before picking up the two almost-cut edges of pastry and folding them over each other, placing them gently down on the inner square so that you have a pretty diamond shape. Brush any visible bits of pastry with egg too.

Pipe or spoon the pastry cream into the center of the egg-washed diamonds and top each with 6-7 slices of fanned out apple. Brush the apples with a little of the cinnamon apple cider caramel, then sprinkle over the flaked almonds.

Chill the pastries in the fridge for 15 minutes, before baking for 25-30 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Drizzle over a little more caramel, if you like.