French Onion Soup Pinwheels
These French onion soup inspired puff pastry pinwheels are a delicious easy appetizer to make for any gathering.
Equipment
- large stainless steel sauté pan with lid
- off set spatula or butter knife
- rubber spatula
- Rolling Pin
Ingredients
- 3 sheets puff pastry thawed but kept chilled
- 3 pounds yellow onions or other sweet onion
- 2-3 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1/3 cup beef stock or mushroom stock for vegetarian
- 8 oz gruyere
- 8 oz truffle cheddar
- kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the onions in half and thinly slice them on a mandolin or with a very sharp knife.
- Coat the bottom of the sauté pan with a thin layer of olive oil - just brush some oil in the pan so it is not too oily.
- Add the onions to the pan with a tablespoon or two of salt and a little fresh cracked black pepper, place it over medium low heat and cover with a lid.
- Allow the onions to cook and sweat slowly until they soften, stirring occasionally and keeping the lid on the pan when not stirring.
- Once the onions are very soft keep the lid off and stay at the stove stirring them and allowing them to brown but not burn or get hard. If you need to you can add a little water to keep them from burning.
- Once the onions are a good golden brown add in the thyme and beef stock. Cook until the beef stock has evaporated. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- Remove the onions from the pan and allow them to cool.
- Grate the cheeses in a large bowl and mix to combine as evenly as possible.
- Once the onions are cool work with one piece of puff pastry at a time. Roll it just until the short edge is 10 inches long.
- With the short edge directly in front of you (bottom) and away from you (top) spread 1/3 of the onions on the pastry in a even layer going completely to the bottom and side edges but leaving about 1/2 inch at the top.
- Sprinkle over 1/3 of the cheese mixture in an even layer and press it in gently so it sticks.
- Starting with the edge in front of you roll up the pastry into a log that it 10 inches long.
- Score the pastry with a sharp knife every 1/2 inch. Wrap the log tightly in wax or parchment paper and plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
- Repeat with the remaining 2 pieces of puff pastry.
- After they have been well chilled and are firm preheat the oven to 425 F. Once the oven is preheated take the logs from the fridge and cut along the score marks into slices.
- Place the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat leaving 1-2 inches between each slice as they will expand.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until they have puffed and the outer edges are golden brown.
- Let them cool for a couple minutes then plate and serve.
Notes
You can use all gruyere if you don't like truffle or cannot find truffle cheddar. If you cannot find gruyere a good substitute would be Swiss, Emmental, or Comté.