England has some wonderful cheeses beyond their world famous cheddar. England’s version of the French Roquefort, Italian Gorgonzola or Danish Blue, called Stilton, is one of those quintessential English cheeses, suitable not only for pubs and celebrations, but also to perk-up everyday dishes. It is the only British cheese to have a certification trade mark and an EU protected name. Cool!

Stilton and Walnut Pinwheels

These are perfect for a cocktail party. The puff pastry in this recipe replaces the handmade dough of yore. If necessary, Stilton can be replaced by any kind of sharp blue cheese without any decline in taste. Even the walnuts can be replaced with pine nuts, although that might be pushing it too far as there's an argument for never messing with the original. Sliced apples or grapes make a wonderful accompaniment.

5 from 3 votes

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Course: Appetizer, Brunch, Snack

Cuisine: British, England

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 15

Freeze: 15

Total Time: 40

Servings: pieces

Author: My Hungry Traveler

Equipment

Large baking pan lined with parchment paper
Small bowl

Ingredients

1 lb Frozen puff pastry
4-5 oz Crumbled Stilton cheese (Sub: any blue cheese)
4 tbsp Heavy cream
½ cup Walnuts, chopped
2 tsp Dried rosemary (Sub: 3 times the amount fresh, minced)

US Customary – Metric

Instructions

Prepare Puff Pastry – Defrost frozen pastry overnight in the refrigerator. Cut a sheet along fold lines making 3 rectangles per sheet, 6 in total. On a lightly floured surface, roll each rectangle into a 16 by 3¼-inch rectangle.
Make Filling – Mix together blue cheese and cream with a fork to make a spreadable paste. spread evenly over pastry rectangles. Combine rosemary and walnuts and sprinkle over the tops.
Prepare Pinwheels – Starting with the shorter ends, roll the long part of the pastry tightly and pinch the ends together. Cut rolls into 6 slices each with a sharp knife. Space pinwheels on a parchment lined baking sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C).
Bake Pinrolls – Bake for 12-15 minutes until pastries are slightly puffed and browned. When done, remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Pinwheels can be baked the day before serving and reheated in a 350-degree oven for 5 minutes. Before refrigerating, cool pinwheels completely and place in a covered container first.
Baked pinwheels can be frozen for months, defrosted, and reheated right before serving.
Any available blue cheese can be used although Stilton and Roquefort are worth using if you can.