Fig Ham Pinwheels Recipes

FIG PINWHEELS

Steps:

• Trim store-bought pie dough into an 8-inch square. Pulse 1 cup dried figs, 1/2 cup pitted dates, a pinch of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon orange zest, 1 1/2 teaspoons orange juice and 1 tablespoon butter in a food processor. Spread over the dough and roll into a log; chill 30 minutes. Cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices and bake 12 to 15 minutes at 375 degrees.

FIG PINWHEELS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan combine the figs, water and brandy. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook and stir till very thick, about 2-3 minutes. Stir in almonds and cool.
• Combine shortening and butter until fluffy; add egg and vanilla. Add half the flour and milk, then stir in the remaining flour by hand.
• Cover and chill 30 minutes.
• Divide dough in half. Roll out one portion on a floured board into a 10x9 inch rectangle. Spread half the filling to within 1/2 inch of the edge.
• Roll up, jelly roll style, starting from the 9 inch edge. Pinch edge to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
• Wrap rolld in waxed paper and freeze 2 hours or chill overnight.
• Cut into 1/4 inch slices and put on greased cookie sheets.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Cool on cookie sheet 1 minute, then remove to rack.

HAM PINWHEELS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together cream cheese, sour cream and dry ranch dip mix.
• Beat until no lumps remain.
• Put a very thin layer of the cheese mixture on a tortilla, being sure not to go all the way to the edge.
• Place slices of ham on top (I always put one piece in the middle and then cut other pieces to fit around the edges), again being careful not to go all the way to the edge.
• Start tightly rolling the tortilla. Try to keep everything inside so the cheese mixture and ham don't come out.
• Roll up tightly in plastic wrap and place in the fridge or freezer.
• Repeat steps 3 through 7 until you run out of ingredients.
• When you're ready to serve, cut the long rolls into small, round pinwheels. I was able to get 8 good pinwheels per long roll (the endpieces are fine to nibble on but they don't make a pretty presentation). If you freeze the rolls for a little while rather than refrigerate them, it makes cutting easier and presentation nicer. I didn't freeze the ones in my picture, so they were messy and misshapen but still very yummy! ENJOY!

FIG PINWHEELS

Steps:

• Make dough: Sift together flour, salt, and baking soda into a large bowl. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture. Divide dough in half; wrap each half in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.
• Transfer one of the dough halves to a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Roll out to a 10 by 12-inch rectangle; trim edges with a knife. Repeat with remaining dough half. Transfer each rectangle on parchment to a baking sheet. Refrigerate 30 minutes.
• Make filling: Bring figs, raisins, and juices to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring often, until fruit has softened and only a few tablespoons of liquid remain, about 25 minutes. Let cool completely. Transfer fig mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth.
• Spread half the filling over each rectangle. Starting with a long side, roll dough into a log. Wrap each log in plastic; refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut logs into 1/4-inch-thick slices using a sharp knife, transferring to baking sheets lined with parchment paper (and reshaping into rounds, if needed) as you work. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges turn golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Cookies can be stored between layers of parchment in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days.
• HOW TO ROLL PINWHEELS
• After spreading filling over chilled dough, gently but tightly roll the dough, starting with a long side, into a log. Wrap in plastic; chill 1 hour or overnight. To keep pinwheels from flattening on one side, remove the log from the refrigerator from time to time, and roll it again on a flat surface. Then cut the log into 1/4-inch-thick rounds, rerolling it as needed to retain shape.