Instructions

1. Preheat oven for 10 minutes to 375 degrees F. Coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.
2. Core and cut apples in half lengthwise. Cut into 1/8" thick slices. Place apples in a large saucepan or skillet and add just enough water to cover. Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and maple syrup. Bring to a simmer and cook just until apples have softened enough to bend without breaking, about 3 minutes. We will need to roll the apples and don't want them snapping. Drain.
3. Cut phyllo dough crosswise into approximately 2-inch wide strips. Work with one rose at a time while keeping the rest of the dough covered with a damp kitchen towel. Place one strip on your work surface. Brush with a thin coating of melted butter. Lay another strip on top, brush with butter, and continue to layer until you have 5 layers. Spread a thin layer of the date caramel over the top of the phyllo strip. Arrange the apples so that they are slightly overlapping at the top of the phyllo strip. The apple skin should be just above the top of the dough, so that the apples will create rose "petals." Sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon. Fold the lower half of the dough to meet the top, just over the bottom of the apples. Start at one end of the strip and roll up like a cinnamon roll. Place rose into the prepared muffin tin. Continue until all the dough and apples are used up.
4. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the bottoms of the roses are golden brown and crisp. We don't want mushy roses. Check halfway through baking and place a piece of foil on top if the tops are getting brown. Dust with powdered sugar if desired. Serve warm or room temperature, with ice cream or alone. I like to tuck mint leaves into a petal to look like leaves.