Cream Cheese and Chive Pastry Pinwheels

Ingredients

• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed but cold
• 12 ounces cream cheese or chevre, softened
• 3/4 cup minced herbs, packed
• Optional additions: lemon zest, finely minced garlic

Directions

1. Dust your work surface with flour, then roll the puff pastry to between 1/16 and 1/8 inch thick, forming about a 16 by 16 inch square. Use an icing or offset spatula to smooth the cream cheese over the pastry in a thin, even coat, keeping 1 inch uncovered along one edge. Scatter the herbs evenly over the top, along with any optional additions, then season with salt.
2. Begin rolling from the edge across from the bare 1 inch strip, turning the pastry into a tight log. Cover it in plastic wrap and place it in the freezer for about an hour, just until it feels very firm without becoming rock solid.
3. 10 minutes before you take the log out, set the oven to 375 degrees F, placing one rack in the upper third and another rack in the bottom third. Slice the chilled log into 1/4 inch rounds with a sharp knife, then set them on two parchment-lined aluminum baking sheets.
4. Bake for 15 minutes, then switch the pans between racks and keep baking until the pastry is deeply browned and crisp when touched, about another 15 minutes. Move the pinwheels to a cooling rack set over paper towels so they can cool and drain before serving. Serve them warm or at room temperature.
5. For storage, place the pinwheels in a large container with room for air to circulate, and cover it loosely in a cool, dry spot. The baked pinwheels will keep several days at room temperature. If frozen as a log, the pastry will keep for weeks.