Puff Pastry Pinwheels

Gorgeous food makes a bad day better. It makes a good day amazing. Beautiful breakfast treats can change your whole outlook by setting your mood from the first tweet of the morning songbirds. These pinwheels look really impressive but are totally quick and easy to create. They would make an excellent addition to your next brunch, tea or playdate. Or, for when the neighbor you love has been extra good and deserves a little treat. You might even get your tools back from the guy next door if you come bearing a plate of these beauties.

First, you roll out your pastry and cut it into even squares.  I’ll admit, mine were not all even. I didn’t feel like busting out the measuring tape. I suggest placing your squares on the prepared baking sheet prior to topping/cutting them. Trust me, it’s not easy to move the filled pinwheels from the floured counter to the baking sheet without getting filling and cream cheese all over. Maybe you are more coordinated than I am – if not, stick to doing all the cutting and topping after the little squares are on the cookie sheet. So, you have your squares all cut out —

Then smoosh a little of the cream cheese in the middle.

A little dollup of whatever filling you’re using – in my case, cherry pie filling.

Cut thru the edges towards the center, stopping before you reach the filling.

Fold every other corner into the middle and press together into a little ball. Press firmly, or when the pastry puffs during baking it will come apart.

Repeat with the remaining squares.

Bake until lightly golden, then drizzle with glaze.

Voilà! Perfect little puffy pinwheels.

PUFF PASTRY PINWHEELS
(adapted from Get Off Your Butt & Bake – and Rumbly in My Tumbly)

1 package (17.3 ounces)  Puff Pastry Sheets, thawed (both sheets)
* You can also use Cherry, Blueberry Pie filling or a variety of jams4 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
1 T powdered sugar
1/8 teaspoon vanillaGlaze

2 cups powdered sugar

3 Tablespoons of melted butter

1 tsp vanilla

Enough milk to make it the consistency you like.

Blend the cream cheese, sugar and vanilla in a bowl until smooth. Spoon 1 scant tablespoon cream cheese mixture in the center of each pastry square, topping with a spoonful of jam or pie filling. Using a sharp knife, cut diagonal lines from the corners of the pastry to within 3/4-inch of the preserves. Fold every other corner up over the preserves to the center, overlapping the points and pinching to seal.  Place the pastries onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet.