Description
These Strawberry and Cream Cheese Pinwheels are delightful bite-sized pastries featuring a smooth, sweet mascarpone and strawberry filling rolled in a buttery, tender dough. Perfect for a light dessert or a charming snack, they combine fresh strawberries with a creamy mixture enhanced by lemon zest and a hint of maple syrup, all baked to golden perfection.
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: half mashed, half chopped)
- 1 teaspoon icing sugar
For Baking
- Egg wash (beaten egg for brushing)
To Serve
- Fresh mint leaves
- Extra strawberries
- Light sprinkle of icing sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 200ºC (392ºF) to ensure it’s hot and ready for baking the pinwheels.
- Prepare the Pastry: In a mixing bowl, combine the plain flour and butter, then rub them together with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Gradually add water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough comes together.
- Knead and Chill Pastry: Transfer the dough onto a floured work surface. Knead gently to form a smooth ball, then roll it out thinly. Wrap the rolled pastry in parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use to help it firm up.
- Make the Filling: In a bowl, add mascarpone, natural yogurt, maple syrup, lemon zest, and half of the strawberries. Gently mush the strawberries and then use an electric whisk to beat the mixture until it achieves a smooth, lovely pink color.
- Add Remaining Strawberries: Chop the other half of the strawberries and fold them into the cream cheese mixture along with the icing sugar. Refrigerate this filling for 15 minutes to let it set slightly.
- Assemble Pinwheels: Remove the pastry and filling from the fridge. Spread the filling evenly over the pastry sheet, then roll it up into a log shape carefully. Slice the log into even pieces and place each piece into a lightly buttered muffin tin cup.
- Apply Egg Wash: Brush each pinwheel slice with egg wash to promote browning and a shiny golden finish during baking.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the pinwheels turn golden brown and cooked through.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the pinwheels to cool completely in the tin before carefully removing them. Serve with extra fresh strawberries, mint leaves, and a light dusting of icing sugar for an elegant presentation.
Notes
- Ensure the butter is cold when preparing the pastry to achieve a flaky texture.
- You can adjust the amount of water to form the dough, adding just enough to hold it together without making it sticky.
- Refrigerating the filled pastry helps the pinwheels maintain their shape during baking.
- Egg wash helps achieve a beautiful glossy crust but can be omitted for a vegan version if substitutes are used.
- Use fresh, ripe strawberries for the best flavor and natural sweetness in the filling.
- Pinwheels can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days; reheat gently before serving.
