INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Pre-made or homemade pie crust
• 4 Pink Lady apples, thinly sliced
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice (about half a lemon)
• ½ cup of water
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoon seedless raspberry jam
• 1/8 teaspoon grounded nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons of grounded cinnamon
• 1 to 2 small drops red food coloring

INSTRUCTIONS:

Chill pie tin while preparing dough. Prepare the pie dough as instructed. Remove pie tin from refrigerator. Once ready, gently roll pie crust onto pie tin and transfer back to refrigerator to prepare filling.

Core apples. Using a mandoline or a very sharp knife, cut apples into half-moon shapes 1/16-inch thin. Gently toss apples in lemon juice and water. Place brown sugar, butter, nutmeg, cinnamon and jam into a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir and cook until ingredients are melted and combined. Remove from heat and add food coloring. Pour mixture over apples slices. Toss to combine. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to allow apples to become pliable. If apples are still not pliable, quickly microwave in 15-second bursts until apples are pliable. Strain apples slices and discard liquid.

To form rose, arrange the slices, cut side down, into the pastry lined pie plate. Working from the outer edge to the interior. After the rows of apple slices have filled all but the center inch or so, prepare the center of the rose bud by tightly rolling one slice into a spiral. Wind another slice around that spiral and continue until the “rose bud” is large enough to fill the gap.

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Transfer to oven and bake until the crust is golden, and apples have cooked, about 30 minutes. If apples start to brown faster than pie crust, lightly place foil on top.