Zaffron Pista Pinwheels
These zaffron pista pinwheels are a lovely party snack or a fun treat. The flaky pastry with a fragrant, nutty filling is really satisfying and visually appealing.
Ingredients
- 200 grams all-purpose flour
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 50 grams unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 60 ml cold water, approximately
- 150 grams pistachios, unsalted
- 50 grams almonds
- 0.25 teaspoon saffron threads
- 2 tablespoons hot milk
- 50 grams granulated sugar
- 0.25 teaspoon cardamom powder
- 1 tablespoon ghee, melted
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, for brushing
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine 200 grams all-purpose flour and 0.25 teaspoon salt. Add 50 grams cold, cubed unsalted butter. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Gradually add approximately 60 ml cold water, a tablespoon at a time, mixing until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix. Gather the dough into a ball, flatten it slightly, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- While the dough chills, prepare the filling. Lightly toast 150 grams unsalted pistachios and 50 grams almonds in a dry pan over low heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Let them cool slightly.
- In a small bowl, steep 0.25 teaspoon saffron threads in 2 tablespoons hot milk for at least 10 minutes.
- In a food processor, combine the toasted pistachios, almonds, and 50 grams granulated sugar. Grind until a coarse powder forms. Add the saffron-infused milk and 0.25 teaspoon cardamom powder. Pulse a few times until a thick, paste-like mixture forms. Be careful not to grind into a fine paste; it should still have some texture.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. Roll it out into a rectangle, approximately 30 cm (12 inches) by 25 cm (10 inches) and about 0.3 cm (0.125 inches) thick.
- Evenly spread the pistachio-almond filling over the entire surface of the rolled-out dough, leaving a small border (about 1 cm or 0.4 inches) along one of the longer edges.
- Tightly roll the dough from the longer edge (the one without the border) into a log. Gently press the seam to seal it.
- Brush the seam with 1 tablespoon melted ghee to help it seal better. Using a sharp knife, cut the log into 1.5 cm (0.6 inch) thick pinwheels. You should get about 16-18 pinwheels.
- Place the pinwheels on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between them. Brush the tops of the pinwheels with 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the pinwheels are golden brown and cooked through. Keep an eye on them to prevent over-browning.
- Let the Zaffron Pista Pinwheels cool on a wire rack for a few minutes before serving. Garnish with a few extra chopped pistachios and a tiny pinch of saffron threads for a beautiful presentation.