Easy Apple Pinwheels

Crisp puff pastry swirls filled with apple and cinnamon

These apple pinwheels are quick to make with ready-rolled puff pastry, chopped apple and cinnamon. Rolling the pastry into a spiral makes them look special without adding lots of extra work. They are best eaten while still slightly warm, when the pastry is crisp and the apple filling is soft.

Makes: 10–12 pinwheels
Prep time: 15 minutes, plus 10 minutes chilling
Bake time: 18–22 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 sheet ready-rolled puff pastry, approximately 320g

• 1 medium eating apple

• 25g soft light brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 tablespoon plain flour

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1 tablespoon demerara sugar, optional

You will need

• Baking tray

• Baking paper

• Small bowl

• Pastry brush

• Sharp knife

Method

1. Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas 6 and line a baking tray with baking paper.

2. Peel and core the apple, then chop it into very small pieces. The smaller the pieces, the easier the pastry will be to roll and slice.

3. Put the apple in a bowl and mix it with the brown sugar, cinnamon and plain flour.

4. Unroll the pastry, keeping it on its paper. Brush a little beaten egg along one of the long edges—this will help seal the roll later.

5. Spread the apple mixture evenly over the pastry, leaving a 2cm strip clear along the egg-brushed edge.

6. Starting from the opposite long edge, roll the pastry up fairly tightly into a long spiral. Finish with the join underneath.

7. Chill the roll for 10 minutes to make it easier to cut.

8. Slice it into 10–12 rounds and place them flat on the lined tray, leaving space between each one.

9. Brush the tops and edges with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with demerara sugar, if using.

10. Bake for 18–22 minutes, until puffed, crisp and golden. A little of the apple mixture may bubble out at the edges—this is completely normal.

11. Leave to cool on the tray for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack. Enjoy while still slightly warm.

Top tips

• Keep the pastry in the fridge until you are ready to use it. Cold pastry is easier to roll and will puff up better in the oven.

• Chop the apple finely so the pinwheels hold their shape.

• For a simple glaze, mix 50g icing sugar with 1–2 teaspoons of water and drizzle it over the cooled pinwheels.

• These are best on the day they are made, but leftovers can be refreshed in a low oven for a few minutes.

Allergen note: Contains wheat, gluten and egg. Most ready-rolled puff pastry is made without dairy, but always check the packet.