Anna Olson’s Elegant Baked Apple Parcels

A simple yet impressive dessert inspired by Anna Olson’s recipe, perfect for sophisticated guests. These baked apple parcels combine tender spiced apples wrapped in a buttery, flaky crust, served with a rich vanilla sauce.

🕒 Prep Time: 30 minutes

🍳 Cook Time: 45 minutes
🍽️ Yield: 6 individual parcels

🥄 Ingredients

Pastry Crust:

220 g all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
Pinch of salt
225 g unsalted butter, very cold and cubed (chilled in freezer 10 minutes)
1 egg yolk
3 tbsp cold water or milk

Filling:

6 apples, peeled and cored
6 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
120 g raisins
3 tbsp breadcrumbs or ground walnuts (to absorb juices)
2 tbsp brandy

Syrup:

300 ml water
110 g sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
3 tbsp unsalted butter

👩‍🍳 Instructions

Make the pastry: Combine flour, sugar, salt, and cold butter in a bowl. Rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the egg yolk and water/milk gradually until the dough just comes together, avoiding stickiness. Wrap in plastic and chill for 15 minutes.
Prepare syrup: In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted. Set aside.
Prepare filling: Mix 2 tbsp sugar with cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. In another bowl, combine raisins, breadcrumbs (or ground walnuts), remaining sugar, and brandy.
Prepare apples: Peel and core apples. Toss them in the spiced sugar mixture until evenly coated.
Assemble parcels: Roll out dough and cut into 6 squares. Place a spiced apple in the center of each square, fill with raisin mixture. Gather dough around the apple, sealing edges with moistened fingers to form parcels.
Bake: Arrange parcels close together in a baking dish. Pour syrup over parcels. Bake at 190°C (375°F) for 45 minutes until golden brown.
Serve: Best enjoyed warm with vanilla sauce or ice cream.

💡 Tips

Use tart apples like Granny Smith or Braeburn for balanced sweetness.
Breadcrumbs or ground walnuts prevent soggy bottoms by absorbing excess juice.
Seal parcels tightly to avoid syrup leakage during baking.

🎉 Perfect For

Elegant dinner parties and special occasions
Fall and winter dessert menus
Comforting, homestyle treats

📝 Final Thoughts

These baked apple parcels offer a beautiful balance of warm spices, tender fruit, and flaky pastry. The buttery syrup adds a luscious glaze, making this dessert a guaranteed crowd-pleaser with minimal fuss.