Spiced Puff Pastry Pinwheels With Candied Fruit |
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Prep Time: 45 Minutes Cook Time: 24 Minutes |
Ready In: 69 Minutes Servings: 8 |
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Here's a different cookie for your cookie tray - and a very pretty one, at that. Spirals of flaky puff pastry dough are highlighted with chunks of beautiful candied fruit. Use the mixed candied fruit for fruitcakes to give the most color. These cookies require a bit of work, but are not really hard to make. And the results will sparkle on your cookie tray. Chilling and thawing times are not included in the preparation time. Recipe is from the book The Christmas Table by Diane Morgan. Ingredients:
2 sheets puff pastry, from a 17 . 3 ounce package |
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for dusting |
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon |
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice |
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger |
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated |
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (1/2 stick) |
2 cups mixed candied fruit, diced (included both colors of cherries) |
1 large egg, beaten, for glaze |
Directions:
1. Remove the pastry sheets from the package and thaw the pastry at room temperature for 30 minutes.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar, cinnamon, allspice, ginger and nutmeg until well combined. Set aside.
3. Sprinkle a work surface generously with sugar. Working with 1 pastry sheet at a time, unfold the pastry sheet and place on prepared work surface. Cut it in half, forming two 9-1/2 inch long rectangles. Brush each half generously with butter, leaving a 1/2-inch border uncovered on one long side. Sprinkle each rectangle generously with some of the spiced sugar mixture. Scatter 1/2 cup of the candied fruit on each rectangle. Brush the plain border with the egg glaze. Starting at the long side opposite the edge brushed with egg glaze, roll up each pastry rectangle tightly, jelly-roll style, pressing firmly to seal the long edges and the ends of the logs. Wrap each log separately in plastic wrap. Repeat with the second sheet of puff pastry to make 2 more logs. Chill the 4 logs until firm, about 3 hours or up to 8 hours.
4. Position one rack in the center and another rack in the upper third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degree F. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.
5. Remove 2 logs from the refrigerator, unwrap, and cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds. (Keep the other 2 logs refrigerated while these bake.) Arrange the rounds on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Bake for 12 minutes and then switch the pan between the racks and rotate them 180 degrees. Continue baking until the cookies are golden brown about 12 minutes longer.
6. Let the cookies cool on the pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Using a spatula, transfer the cookies to the racks, turning them bottom side up. The beautifully bronzed sugared bottom of these cookies becomes the top!
7. Let cool completely and then carefully break off any excess sugar that has hardened around the edges. While the first batch cools, cut and bake the remaining 2 logs the same way.
8. The cookies can be made up to 2 days ahead. Layer them between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container and store at room temperature.
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