Shortbread Pinwheels

Shortbread pinwheels are simple and tasty treats that can be served as a snack or at the end of a meal. Here’s how to prepare them.

Ingredients

• 250 g of All-purpose flour
• 125 g of cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 100 g of sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 yolk
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 pinch of salt
• Fruit jam of choice (for example, apricot or strawberry)
• Icing sugar for decorating (optional)

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, mix the flour with the sugar and salt.
2. Add the butter cut into pieces and work the dough with your fingertips until you achieve a sandy consistency.
3. Make a well in the center and add the egg, yolk, and vanilla extract.
4. Quickly knead until you get a homogeneous mixture; form a ball, wrap it in cling film and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
5. Take the dough from the fridge and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 5 mm thick.
6. Spread a thin layer of jam on the pastry, leaving a free edge of about 1 cm on all sides.
7. Roll the pastry from the long side, gently but tightly, to form a roll.
8. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into slices about 2 cm thick and arrange them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
9. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 15-20 minutes or until the pinwheels are golden.
10. Let them cool before dusting with icing sugar, if desired.

Trivia

The shortbread pinwheels, also known as “palmiers” in France, can be enriched with additions such as grated lemon or orange zest in the dough, for a citrus note. Moreover, for a more indulgent version, you can dust the pinwheels with granulated sugar before baking them, to get a crispy and caramelized surface.