Description
Strawberry and Cream Cheese Pinwheels are delightful pastry treats combining a buttery, flaky crust with a creamy mascarpone and strawberry filling. Perfect for a sweet brunch, tea time, or dessert, these pinwheels are easy to prepare and bake to a golden finish with a light dusting of icing sugar and fresh mint for garnish.
Ingredients
Scale
Pastry
- 280 g (2 cups) plain flour
- 100 g butter
- 2-4 tablespoons water
Filling
- 250 g mascarpone cheese
- 2 tablespoons natural yogurt
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 200 g strawberries (divided)
- 1 teaspoon icing sugar
Other
- Egg wash (for brushing)
- Fresh mint leaves (to serve)
- Extra strawberries (to serve)
- Light sprinkle of icing sugar (to serve)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 200ºC (392ºF) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the pinwheels perfectly golden.
- Make Pastry Dough: In a mixing bowl, combine the plain flour and butter. Rub together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add 2 to 4 tablespoons of water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together.
- Roll and Chill Dough: Transfer the dough onto a floured work surface and knead gently until smooth. Roll the dough out thinly, then wrap it in parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use to allow it to firm up.
- Prepare Filling: In a mixing bowl, add the mascarpone cheese, natural yogurt, maple syrup, lemon zest, and half of the strawberries. Mash the strawberries to break them down, then use an electric whisk to beat the mixture until it becomes a smooth, pale pink color.
- Add Remaining Strawberries: Chop the remaining strawberries finely and fold them along with the icing sugar into the pink mascarpone mixture. Chill the filling in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to thicken and meld flavors.
- Assemble Pinwheels: Remove both the pastry and filling from the fridge. Spread the filling evenly over the rolled-out pastry, then carefully roll it into a log shape. Cut the log into slices about 2-3 cm thick.
- Prepare to Bake: Place each slice into a lightly buttered muffin tin to hold their shape. Brush the tops with egg wash to promote a golden, glossy finish during baking.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the pinwheels are golden and cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the tin before handling.
- Serve: Serve the cooled pinwheels garnished with fresh strawberries, mint leaves, and a light sprinkle of icing sugar for added sweetness and presentation.
Notes
- Ensure the butter and water measurements for the pastry are accurate to get a flaky dough.
- Use fresh ripe strawberries for the best flavor impact in the filling.
- Egg wash helps create a shiny, golden crust on the pinwheels.
- Cooling fully before removing from the tin prevents the pastries from breaking apart.
- These pinwheels can be prepared ahead and refrigerated before baking or frozen after baking for later enjoyment.
