• Always have a puff pastry or shortcrust pastry in the fridge - it will always save you when you are lazy and do not want complications, when you have little time to prepare something for a picnic or to make a quick salty cake for an express dinner.
• In this apple cake I have not put any order in the fruit segments, that's why I call it "wild spiced apple cake" (for that mess and for that rustic and daring touch, thanks to the intense flavor of the spices). But if you prefer those neat, perfect-looking tarts, it's as easy as arranging the apple in neat, overlapping rows, with patience and time. If this is how you prefer it, I recommend using a kitchen mandolin for perfect even cuts.
• I have used rectangular puff pastry, you can also make it round, or use shortcrust or empanada dough , if you have it. Success is assured!
• The amounts of the ingredients are indicative. Sprinkle the sugars and spices to your liking, but above all be generous , it is the grace of this cake.

Ingredients

• 1 sheet of puff pastry
• 3 golden yellow apples, firm but not green.
• 3 generous tablespoons of raspberry or strawberry jam
• 4 generous tablespoons of brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons of Panela
• 2 tbsp Cinnamon (or to taste)
• 2 dessert spoons of ginger
• 1 dessert spoon of Nutmeg
• Juice of half a lemon
• Egg to brush

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 190 °C.
2. Peel and cut the apples roughly (turn the apple and cut slices half a centimeter thick), and leave the apple slices in a large bowl.
3. Add the juice of half a lemon and mix to impregnate all the segments.
4. Pour 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and panela. You can also add white sugar or replace everything with panela... Sweeten to your liking, but it is interesting to use a good panela because it provides many nuances . Mix and add a few more tablespoons of sugar and/or panela if you see that it is a bit lacking to homogenize.
5. Add 1 tablespoon of cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger and mix again, being careful not to break the apple. Booking.
6. Spread the puff pastry out on a Naturals Nordic Ware baking sheet or perforated pan.
7. In a bowl or a cup, heat the jam for a few seconds in the microwave, and stir so that it is diluted and liquid. If necessary, add a few drops of water.
8. Using a pastry brush, brush all over the puff pastry with the jam, leaving a finger on the unbrushed edge.
9. Arrange the spiced apple on top, in order or in disorder as I have done (arrange the apple to your liking, but make sure it is well covered and there are no gaps).
10. Sprinkle one more tablespoon of panela or brown sugar and one more of cinnamon on top.
11. Brush it a little above the apple with the remaining jam.
12. Gather the edges of the puff pastry inwards and prick them with a fork.
13. Brush the edges with beaten egg.
14. Put in the oven, at medium/high level at 180 / 190 °C. In about 25 minutes you will have it ready -remove when the dough is done and the apple looks soft.