Carnival Roses with Puff Pastry and Raspberry Icing

Start by preparing the oven and the baking tray. Set the oven to 200°C with the convection function (or 210°C with top and bottom heating). Take a large, flat baking tray and line it with a sheet of baking paper. The paper will prevent the cookies from sticking to the tray and make them easy to remove.

In a small bowl, prepare the sugar mixture. Add the fine sugar and ground cinnamon. Mix them thoroughly with a small teaspoon until the ingredients are evenly combined and an aromatic, brownish sugar is formed.

Take the chilled puff pastry out of the fridge. Carefully roll it out on a clean kitchen countertop. In a small bowl, beat the egg with a fork until the white and yolk are completely combined, forming a uniform mixture. Using a kitchen brush, brush a thin layer of the beaten egg over the entire surface of the pastry.

Evenly sprinkle the prepared sugar and cinnamon mixture over the entire egg-washed surface of the dough. Try to cover every part. Then, very gently roll over the surface with a rolling pin or press down with your hands to lightly 'embed' the sugar into the dough.

Now it's time to cut. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, slice the dough along the longer side into even strips about 2-2.5 cm wide. Try to make all the strips of similar width so that the roses bake evenly.

Take one strip of dough and start rolling it into a spiral, just like rolling a snail. Don't roll it too tightly – a looser roll will allow the layers of dough to 'open up' nicely during baking, creating a rose petal effect. Place the finished roll upright on the prepared baking sheet.

Place all the shaped roses on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, leaving about 3-4 cm of space between them. The dough will rise while baking, so it needs room. Brush the top and sides of each rose with the remaining beaten egg. This will give them a beautiful, golden, and shiny color after baking.

Place the tray with the roses in the preheated oven. Bake for about 20-25 minutes. The cookies are ready when they have risen beautifully, unfolded their layers, and taken on a deep golden-brown color. The sugar on top should caramelize, creating a crispy crust.

After baking, carefully remove the tray from the oven. Using a spatula, transfer the hot roses to a metal cooling rack. Leave them there to cool completely. This step is important to prevent the bottoms of the cookies from becoming soggy from steam.

While the cookies are cooling, prepare the icing. Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl through a fine sieve – this will prevent lumps from forming. Add raspberry juice and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Using a whisk or spoon, mix vigorously until all the ingredients are combined and a smooth, thick, yet still fluid icing with a beautiful pink color is formed. If you like, add crushed freeze-dried raspberries for a more intense flavor and texture.

Make sure the roses are completely cooled. Using a small teaspoon, drizzle each rose with the prepared raspberry glaze, allowing it to flow fancifully down the sides. You can also transfer the glaze to a small ziplock bag, cut off a corner, and precisely squeeze out thin streams.

Before the icing completely sets, you can additionally decorate the roses. Sprinkle them with the remaining crushed freeze-dried raspberries or lightly dust with powdered sugar for contrast. Set aside for about 15-20 minutes to let the icing firm up. Done!