Cream Cheese and Smoked Salmon Pinwheels
This recipe crafts elegant, bite-sized pinwheels from fresh sandwich bread, creamy cream cheese, and savory smoked salmon. It's a simple yet sophisticated appetizer or snack, perfect for entertaining or a light meal. The key is careful preparation and chilling to achieve neat, attractive spirals.
Equipment
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Sharp Knife Preferably a serrated knife for clean cuts
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Small Spatula or Butter Knife For spreading cream cheese
- 1 Plastic Wrap For chilling
Ingredients
Main
- 3 pieces fresh sandwich bread white or whole wheat
- 4 ounces cold smoked salmon or lox
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese approximately
Instructions
- Carefully remove the crusts from each slice of sandwich bread.
- Place each slice of bread between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and use a rolling pin to flatten them very thinly and evenly.
- Spread a thin, even layer of room temperature cream cheese over each flattened slice of bread, extending almost to the edges.
- Lay the cold smoked salmon slices evenly over the cream cheese, ensuring good coverage without excessive overlap.
- Starting from one short end, tightly roll each bread slice into a compact log.
- Wrap each log tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to several hours, to allow them to firm up.
- Once chilled, unwrap the logs and use a very sharp, slightly damp knife (a serrated knife works well) to slice them into ½-inch thick pinwheels.
- Arrange the pinwheels artfully on a serving platter.
Notes
For optimal results, ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature for easy, even spreading. Trim the crusts from the sandwich bread meticulously to achieve a clean, uniform edge, which is essential for neat pinwheels. When rolling, apply gentle, consistent pressure to prevent tearing the bread while ensuring a tight spiral. Chilling the log thoroughly before slicing is crucial; it firms up the components, allowing for precise, clean cuts without squishing. Consider adding a sprinkle of fresh dill or chives to the cream cheese mixture for an aromatic boost and visual appeal. A thin layer of Dijon mustard on the bread before the cream cheese can also introduce a subtle, sophisticated tang.