Currant whirls

Craving a delicious springtime treat? Look no further than Rona Sheridan’s homemade currant whirls!

This mouthwatering recipe was generously shared by one of our readers, who knows a thing or two about creating delectable pastries. Made with a twist of light pastry and a generous serving of currants, these whirls are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack.

One thing Rona misses since moving to France is the traditional mince pie at Christmas – yes, they sell mass-produced ones and mincemeat jars at a few supermarkets there, but she also feels homemade is always best.

So this Christmas just gone, Rona purchased all the ingredients, and they went down a treat with both visiting family and neighbours. However, she had lots of the ingredients left over, so this simple recipe has a hint of the Christmas spirit which is always a good thing with a twist of light pastry.

Enjoy!

Print Recipe

Currant whirls

Use your left-over dried fruits to make these tasty pastries!

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: British, French

Keyword: Currant whirls, Easy recipe, Sweet Tooth

Servings: 12 whirls

Author: Rona Sheridan

Ingredients

Puff pastry – shop-bought pastry is great but if you have the time have a go!

• 100 g Plain flour
• 100 g butter – very cold
• 50 ml cold water
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt

FILLING (prep the day before)

• Approx 100g of any mixed dried fruits I used currants, sultanas, cranberries, apricots and mixed-peel – all chopped up small
• 20 ml of Cognac/Armagnac or any good quality similar spirit
• Good squeeze of lemon

Instructions

Filling (prepped a day earlier)

• In a bowl, mix dried fruits well with 20ml of Cognac/Armagnac (or any good quality similar spirit)
• Good squeeze of lemon
• Cover and leave overnight to soak

Pastry

• I used a food processor, using the same method as any pastry but adding butter slowly in stages, it’s important not to over-process.
• Add the salt and enough cold water to form a dough. Bits of butter should be visible in the dough.
• Transfer onto a well-floured surface and roll out fully then carefully fold over one half and fold twice again the same – this is what gives you the layers. Cover in cling film and place in the fridge for a couple of hours before using.
• Roll out your pastry into a rectangle, and spread the mix evenly over the pastry. Then roll it up into a long sausage-like shape and cut it into 3cm slices, laying them on their side on a floured baking tray, keeping them well apart. I brushed mine with milk to get a nice golden colour and sprinkled brown sugar for extra sweetness.
• Bake in oven for 25mins at 180°c (350°F)
• Serve with your favourite hot drink