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Recipes

Stilton Pinwheels With Walnuts and Honey

By JANET K. KEELER
Published December 28, 2005

1/3 cup Stilton or other blue cheese, at room temperature

1/4 cup cream cheese, at room temperature

1 sheet purchased frozen puff pastry, thawed

2 cups (about 8 ounces) walnut halves

Honey for drizzling

In a miniprocessor or by hand, mix blue cheese and cream cheese until well blended.

On a lightly floured pastry cloth or board, unfold the pastry sheet according to the package directions. Cut in half lengthwise.

Carefully and without tearing pastry, spread half of the cheese mixture to cover one piece of pastry, leaving a 1/4-inch border on one long edge. Beginning with the long, coated edge, tightly roll the pastry, forming a long jelly roll-style log. Moisten the border with water and pinch the edge to form a secure seam. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour before baking. (Rolls can also be frozen.) Repeat with the remaining piece of pastry and cheese mixture.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or leave ungreased and set aside.

Remove one log at a time from the freezer and unwrap on a cutting board. Thaw slightly. Measure and mark 1/4-inch increments and slice with a serrated knife. Arrange pinwheels on baking sheet, at least 1 inch apart. Gently press 1 walnut half in the center of each pinwheel. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and, using a teaspoon or squeeze bottle, drizzle with a crisscross thread of honey. Serve immediately.

Makes about 6 dozen pinwheels.

Variations, using directions above:

For Spinach-Cheese Pinwheels: 1/4 cup cream cheese, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, 1 package frozen spinach, thawed and well-drained, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder. Mix together, divide and spread on pastry halves.

For Roasted Red Pepper and Parmesan Pinwheels: 1/4 cup cream cheese, 1/3 cup grated Parmesan, 4 or 5 pieces of jarred roasted red peppers, drained and blotted dry. Mix cheeses, divide and spread on pastry halves. Slice red peppers and arrange strips on pastry sheets in single layers, covering most of the surface.

For Honey Ham and Jack Pinwheels With Mustard: Brown mustard, 6 to 7 thin slices of honey-glazed deli ham, 1/2 cup grated Jack cheese. Spread thin layer of brown mustard on pastry halves then arrange ham in single layers. Sprinkle Jack cheese over all.

For Greek-style Pinwheels: 1/4 cup cream cheese, 1/3 cup crumbled feta, 1 teaspoon dried basil, 1/3 cup chopped Kalamata olives, well drained. Combine cheeses and dried basil. Divide in half and spread over pastry halves. Arrange chopped olives over all.

Sources: "Holiday Baking" by Sara Perry (Chronicle Books; $18.95) and Janet K. Keeler, St. Petersburg Times food editor.

[Last modified December 27, 2005, 13:36:04]