Cherry Puff Pastry Swirl

I am delighted to describe to you the recipe for the cherry puff pastry swirl, a tasty and delicious dessert that can be a perfect snack or an after-dinner sweet. Here is how to proceed.

Ingredients

• 1 rectangular sheet of puff pastry
• 200 g of fresh or preserved cherries
• 50 g of granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
• 1 egg yolk for brushing
• Powdered sugar (optional, for garnish)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C (350 °F) and prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
2. If using fresh cherries, wash, dry, and pit them. If you opt for preserved cherries, drain them from their liquid.
3. In a small saucepan, mix the cherries with sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the cherries release their juice and a slightly thick sauce forms. Let it cool.
4. Unroll the puff pastry sheet and evenly distribute the cooled cherry sauce, leaving an empty margin along the edges.
5. Roll up the puff pastry starting from the long side, taking care to keep the filling inside.
6. Cut the roll into slices about 2 cm thick and place them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving some space between each swirl.
7. Brush the surface of each swirl with the egg yolk to achieve perfect browning during baking.
8. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the swirls are golden and crispy.
9. Remove the cherry puff pastry swirls from the oven and let them cool slightly before serving. If desired, before serving, you can dust them with powdered sugar for a fine aesthetic touch.

Curiosity

Cherries are an incredibly versatile fruit in the kitchen and can be used for both sweet and savory preparations. In Italy, the Vignola variety of cherries is particularly famous, often used for high-quality dessert preparations. The puff pastry swirls can be customized in many ways, for example by adding chopped nuts or chocolate shavings for an even more tempting version.