Easy Pinwheel Danish
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
2 sheets (1 box) frozen puff pastry, defrosted
Cheese filling:
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tablespoons sugar
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
2 tablespoons ricotta cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Zest of 1 lemon
Jam topping: 1 ¼ cups raspberry (or blueberry, peach, apricot, etc) jam
Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
Glaze: ½ cup confectioners' sugar mixed with 2 tablespoons milk or cream
These are so good! They're even better the next day, when the pastry becomes a bit denser. They freeze like a dream, too.
I did these in a cooking class recently and a student suggested making them with a savory filling. I made a tiny pinwheel in class that we all agreed would make an adorable hors d oeuvre. More to come on that one!
Directions
Heat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
Combine the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; cream them together on low speed until smooth. Add the egg yolks, ricotta, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest; mix on low just until combined. Do not beat. Chill filling while proceeding with the recipe.
On a lightly floured surface, roll a sheet of puff pastry into a 12-inch square. Cut into nine 4-inch squares.
To make a pinwheel, make four 2-inch cuts from the corner toward the center of each pastry square. Fold every other point in toward the center, pressing firmly.
Place a spoonful of the chilled cheese filling in the center of each square. Top with a spoonful of jam.
Brush the top of the pastries with egg wash. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Bake the chilled pastries for 20 minutes or until deeply golden brown. Transfer to cooling racks. Cool 20 minutes before drizzling with glaze.
FOX19-WXIX
