Date Pinwheels
(From The Baker's Catalogue- King Arthur Flour)

DOUGH

1 cup (6 5/8 ounces) shortening
2 cups light brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
4 cups (1 pound, 1 1/2 ounces) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda


FILLING*

8 ounces chopped dates (about 1 3/4 cups)
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup (6 ounces) water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) diced pecans or walnuts

*Though this filling is easy enough to make, if you want to use purchased date (or fig) filling, go ahead. You'll need about 2 cups (24 ounces) of filling.

DOUGH: In a large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour, salt and baking soda. Chill the dough till it's firm enough to roll out, at least 1 hour.

FILLING: While the dough is chilling, make the filling. In a small saucepan set over medium-high heat, combine the dates, sugar water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and boil the dates gently for 15 minutes, or until thickened to about the consistency of soft jam. Stir in the chopped nuts, and set aside.

ASSEMBLY: Divide the dough in half. Working with one half at a time, roll the dough into a 9 x 12-inch, 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Spread the filling over the entire surface of the dough; the filling is sticky and stiff, but if you keep wetting your fingers, you can push and spread it around without too much trouble. Roll the dough up, lengthwise, to make a log. It's delicate, but a baker's bench knife or spatula helps the job along. Wrap each log in waxed paper or plastic wrap and chill for several hours, or overnight.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let it soften at room temperature for about 10 minutes. If the log has flattened out in the refrigerator, gently roll it back into a round. Cut the log into 1/2-inch slices. Place the slices about 1 1/2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake the cookies in a preheated 400°F oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they're beginning to brown around the edges, but are still fairly pale in the center; this will keep them moist. Remove the cookies from the oven, and transfer them to a wire rack to cool. Yield: about 5 dozen 3-inch pinwheels.

Return to:
Past Recipes
Recipes
Sweet Dreams Homepage