Easy key to picture-perfect apple pastries

There’s no need to dig out or buy a special apple cookie cutter to get the wow-worthy shape of our tarts. Happily, an apple half makes the perfect template to cut out apple shapes. To do: Cut one apple in half, then place one half, cut side down, on puff pasty and carefully trace around the edge as shown at right. Cut a stem and leaf at the top of the apple heart. Use fork tines or a sharp knife to create designs on leaves and around the apple edges as desired, then fill and bake as directed above.