Puff Pastry Pinwheel Appetizer with Boursin Cheese

These tasty appetizers are easy to prepare using pre-made puff pastry which you buy frozen. You can use whatever flavor and combination of cheeses you like, but at least one should be a more crumbly and spreadable cheese like the Boursin cheese mixtures. 

Julian's Puff Pastry Pinwheels

Today I substituted the shredded cheese noted in the recipe with shredded mozzarella cheese, because I had that on hand. I also made them smaller than the original recipe below, by simply cutting the pastry dough in half and slicing them in 1/2-inch slices, which resulted in more finger-food sized pinwheels. The recipe really is quite flexible and I encourage you to make it your own.  

Ingredients

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (1/2 pkg.; 8.65 oz.)
1 5.2 ounce package Boursin cheese (Garlic & Fine Herbs or Shallots & Chive) 
1/4 cup shredded cheddar or Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1 teaspoon minced lemon or lime zest
1 pinch freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions
Remove puff pastry from freezer and thaw on the kitchen counter in paper wrapping for 45 minutes or until just playable. Preheat oven to 400F degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
 
In a bowl combine Boursin and shredded cheese with cilantro/parsley, lemon zest and black pepper. Work the mixture until it is soft and spreadable. 

Lightly dust a cool countertop or silicon baking mat with a little flour. Open the puff pastry and carefully unfold it onto the prepared surface. If there are any cracks, use a little water on your figure tip to press the pastry back together. 

Carefully spread cheese mixture over pastry leaving a 1/2-inch or so edge of plain pastry on one side of the dough. Butter the pastry edge that has no cheese and roll pastry jelly roll-style into a cylinder shape. Press the buttered edge to so seal the roll. Slice into 12 pieces each about 1-inch thick. 

Arrange  cut side down (on their side, not standing up) on prepared baking sheet and brush with melted butter. Bake in the preheated oven until puffed and golden, 15-25 minutes. Remove to a serving platter and let cool slightly before serving.