Pistachio Spritz Pinwheels Food

PISTACHIO SPRITZ PINWHEELS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pulse pistachios with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar in a food processor until finely ground.
• With a mixer on medium speed, beat butter with remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in extracts and food color. Reduce speed to low; add flour, salt, and pistachio mixture and beat until combined. Add 3 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough is smooth and pliable (so it will push through press).
• Divide dough in half; spoon half into a cookie press fitted with a pinwheel design. Press cookies (2 pushes of spritzer), 1 inch apart, onto a baking sheet lined with a nonstick baking mat. Repeat with remaining dough and another lined baking sheet.
• Bake, rotating sheets once, until edges are pale golden, about 14 minutes. Let cookies cool on sheets 1 minute, then transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Place melted chocolate in a small piping bag fitted with a small writing tip, or a resealable plastic bag with a corner snipped off. Pipe chocolate in center of each cookie and let set, about 1 hour. Cookies can be stored in an airtight container, between sheets of parchment or waxed paper, up to 1 week.

PISTACHIO PINWHEELS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg whites, oil and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well. , Divide dough in half; add food coloring to one portion. Divide red and plain doughs into two portions. Between two sheets of waxed paper, roll out one portion of plain dough into an 8x6-in. rectangle. Repeat with one portion of red dough. Remove waxed paper; place red dough over plain., Roll up tightly jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Roll the log in pistachios; wrap in plastic. Repeat with remaining doughs. Refrigerate for 2 hours or until firm., Unwrap logs; cut into 1/4-in. slices. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 7-9 minutes or until set. Remove to wire racks.

PISTACHIO PINWHEELS

Steps:

• In a food processor, pulse the pistachios until they're very finely ground but not yet forming a paste, about 25 second-long pulses. Transfer the ground pistachios to a small bowl and set aside.
• To the same food processor (no need to wash after grinding the pistachios), add the butter and confectioners' sugar, and process until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the yolks and almond extract, and process until the mixture is smooth and light. Add the flour and salt, and pulse, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice, until you have a stiff, uniform dough.
• Transfer two-thirds of the dough (about 10 ounces/240 grams) to a medium bowl and add the almond flour to the bowl. Use a flexible spatula to work the almond flour into the dough until you have a uniform mixture.
• Scrape the almond dough onto a piece of parchment paper. Pat it down with your hands into a thinner layer, then place a piece of parchment paper on top. Roll out the dough between the sheets of parchment into a slab measuring about 12-by-8 inches and ¼-inch thick. (Uncover the dough and use a small offset spatula to shape the dough into a rectangle if necessary.) Slide the parchment paper onto a baking sheet and refrigerate the slab until firm, 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, add the ground pistachios to the food processor with the remaining dough and pulse until the mixture is thoroughly blended and the dough has taken on a green color, about 7 pulses. Set aside at room temperature while the almond dough chills.
• Remove the almond dough from the refrigerator and plop tablespoon-size pieces of the pistachio dough across the surface of the slab. Use the offset spatula to spread the pistachio dough across the length of the slab in an even layer, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the longer sides. Starting at one of the longer sides and using the parchment paper to help you, roll the dough into a tight spiraled log. Wrap the log in parchment paper and transfer to the refrigerator. Chill until the dough is very firm, at least 1 hour.
• When ready to bake, arrange two oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Line two large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• Sprinkle the demerara sugar across a cutting board. Remove the log from the refrigerator, unwrap, and roll across the board in the sugar, pressing down very firmly as you roll so the sugar adheres. Continue to roll and press until the entire log is coated. Using a sharp knife, shave a thin crosswise slice off of each end so you have straight sides with the full spiral exposed. Cut the log in half crosswise, then cut each half in half again to make quarters, and cut each quarter in half again for eighths. (This ensures even, equal slices.) As you cut, roll the pieces on the cutting board to prevent the pinwheels from gaining a flat side and losing their round shape. Cut each piece into 4 equal slices to make 32 cookies.
• Divide the cookies between the two prepared baking sheets and space them evenly. Bake the cookies on the upper and lower racks until they are golden around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes, switching racks and rotating the sheets front to back halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheets.

PISTACHIO SPRITZ COOKIES

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Pulse the pistachios and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a food processor until the nuts are finely ground and powdery. Sift with the flour and salt into a medium bowl; set aside.
• Beat the remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar and the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the pistachio mixture and beat until completely incorporated.
• Fill a cookie press with the dough according to the manufacturer's instructions. Press cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart onto 2 ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with sanding sugar. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until set and golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

PISTACHIO PINWHEELS

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Beat 6 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in 1 egg and the vanilla (don?t worry if the mixture looks separated). Reduce the mixer speed to low; mix in the flour mixture until combined. Turn out the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap; shape into a disk. Wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, make the filling: Pulse the pistachios and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a food processor until very finely ground. Mix in the remaining egg, 2 tablespoons butter, the almond extract, pinch of salt and food coloring. Process, scraping the bowl occasionally, until a thick paste forms. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Roll out the dough into a 10-by-11-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Spread the pistachio filling over the dough almost all the way to the edges. Starting with a short side, roll up the dough into a tight spiral. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate, reshaping the log after 1 hour, until firm, at least 3 hours or overnight.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the log into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. Arrange the rounds 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared pans.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are firm and light golden around the edges, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the pans, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

COCOA PISTACHIO PINWHEELS

Steps:

• Divide dough in half.
• Knead the pistachio pudding, chopped pistachio nuts and green food coloring into one half.
• Shape into a small rectangle.
• Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Into the remaining dough, knead the cocoa powder and the brown sugar.
• Shape into a small rectangle, wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour.
• Roll out the pistachio dough between 2 sheets of waxed paper to a 12x8 inch rectangle.
• Repeat with chocolate dough, straightening edges with a ruler.
• Remove top sheet of waxed paper from chocolate dough.
• Remove the top and bottom sheets of waxed paper from pistachio dough and place it on top of chocolate dough leaving a 1/4-inch edge of chocolate showing on one long side.
• Starting with a long side, roll up doughs, jelly-roll fashion, using the bottom waxed paper as a guide and removing paper as you roll.
• Roll spirals as tightly as possible.
• Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Cut dough into 1/4-inch thick slices.
• Place on ungreased baking sheets and bake for 12 minutes.
• Remove from baking sheets and cool completely on a wire rack.

APRICOT-PISTACHIO PINWHEELS

Steps:

• PISTACHIO SUGAR.
• Pulse pistachios and sugar in food processor until finely ground, and set aside.
• APRICOT FILLING.
• Combine all filling ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to boil reduing the heat to medium-low and simmer for 18-20 minutes stirring occasionally.
• When apricots are tender, transfer to food processor and puree then set aside.
• MAKING THE COOKIES.
• Heat oven to 400ºF.
• Line 2 bakiing sheets with your fav lining; silocone, foil, etc.
• Roll one sheet of pastry dough into 15 1/2 X 12 1/2 inches rectangle and trimming it with pizza cutter or fluted pastry wheel to 15 X 12 inches.
• Cut pastry crosswise into 4 - 3 inch strips and cut each strip into 5 - 3 inch squares. (you will have 20 3" squares from each sheet).
• TO FORM PINWHEELS.
• On each square make a 1 1/2" diagonal slit from each corner toward the center but not through it.
• Transfer squares to baking sheet.
• Place a level 1/2 tsp of filling in center of each square.
• Fold every other point of pastry square up and over center filling, overlapping in middle of filling.
• Gently press points into filling to secure.
• Lightly brush with egg white, placing a whole pistachio in the center of each.
• Sprinkle each pinwheel with 1/2 tsp pistachio sugar and a light sprinkling of the coarse decorating sugar in your choice of color.
• Bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown and puffed.
• Transfer to wirerack to cool.
• Repeat until all pinwheeels are done.
• NOTE:.
• These are best eaten the same day as making but can be stored between waxed paper in an airtight container at room temp for about 3 days.
• NOTE:.
• I found a brand of pistachios called "everybody's NUTS" that are roasted and unsalted. There is a bonus to their pistachios in that if you find one unopened nut and send it to them (with verification, of course) they send you another bag of pistachios!
• SUGGESTION.
• Any pistachio sugar and filling left over can be combined and used as a spread for toast, etc.

CHOCOLATE-DIPPED SPRITZ WASHBOARDS WITH PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Make Cookies:
• Heat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
• Make Buttery Sugar Cookie dough as directed, with the following exceptions:
• Eliminate the egg.
• Substitute 1 cup confectioners' sugar for the granulated sugar and substitute 3/4 teaspoon almond extract for the 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Pack the cylinder of the press with some of the dough. Proceed according to the cookie press instructions. Pipe the dough in 3-inch-long strips onto a large ungreased baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart. Use a paring knife to cut the dough free from the cookie press.
• Freeze or chill the cookies on the baking sheet until firm.
• Bake until edges are pale golden, 7 to 10 minutes. Cool on sheets 2 minutes, then transfer cookies with a metal spatula to racks to cool.
• Continue to pipe, chill, and bake more spritz washboards in batches with remaining dough (pipe and chill on second sheet while first sheet is baking; cool baking sheets between batches and use fresh parchment paper).
• Decorate Cookies:
• Melt chocolate (see Cooks' Notes) in a deep metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove bowl from the pan. Use a folded towel to tilt the bowl slightly, so that the melted chocolate is deep enough for dipping the cookies.
• Put pistachios in a shallow bowl.
• Set cooling racks on baking sheets.
• Dip cookies, one at a time, in chocolate so that it coats about half the cookie on the diagonal, then scrape off the excess chocolate from the bottom of the cookie against the rim of the bowl.
• Sprinkle the chocolate with some pistachios and arrange the cookies on the racks.
• Let cookies stand at room temperature until the chocolate has set, about 1 hour.