Recipe Review: Pistachio Pinwheels

Introduction

This was the very first recipe I attempted baking with my partner. It was also the first recipe we did from Dessert Person. Despite being a moderately difficult recipe, we managed to do fairly well. We were immediately impressed by the instructive quality of Dessert Person. This recipe in particular had many helpful photos.

Recipe Outline

Recipe: Pistachio Pinwheels	Special Equipment: Food Processor
Source: Dessert Person	Time: 2.5 hours
Author: Claire Saffitz	Difficulty: 3/5
Type: Dessert (Baking)	Score: ★★★★☆

Preparing The Pistachios

Tip: If you can’t find blanched pistachios, you’ll probably need to make them yourself. Make sure you start with raw pistachios that are uncooked. After removing the shells, blanch them. In short, let them sit in cold water in a skillet for 5 minutes, warm them until barely steaming (not simmering), and afterwards the skins should be easy to remove. This whole process can take an additional 20 minutes.

Making The Dough

Tip 1: The dough should form into a nice ball (or two) in the food processor.

Tip 2: Once the dough is rolled to approximately the specified thickness, wrap the sheets of parchment paper about the dough to form a 12” x 8” rectangle. Afterwards, use the rolling pin to redistribute the dough within the parchment paper to get a slab of the desired size.

Forming the Log

Tip: Make sure to refrigerate the slab long enough. If you don’t wait long enough the slab will start to break/crack as the log is formed.

Baking The Cookies

Final Product

Key Takeaways

Make sure you buy blanched pistachios or raw pistachios and then blanch them yourself. Removing the skin is key to getting a green color. If you can’t get a good color, then green food dye is a viable alternative. I’ve done this once when retrying this recipe.
Be very precise with this recipe. Use exact measurements and make sure you refrigerate the dough for long enough. Do not attempt without a food scale and regular-sized food processor.
Final Score: 4/5 – The recipe was well-written and very instructive. The cookies themselves were delicious. One of the best cookie recipes in Dessert Person.