Pineapple and coconut swirls are soft filled pastries made with a leavened dough and a mascarpone and pineapple filling. I like to prepare them with fresh pineapple, which I find tastier, although in that case, an extra precaution is needed: the pineapple must be cooked for a few minutes before adding it to the filling, as fresh pineapple, when in contact with dairy, develops a bitter taste due to the enzyme bromelain, which breaks down milk proteins into amino acids and peptides.
That said, the preparation of these swirls is very simple, and the result is truly excellent!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 12 swirls
- Cooking methods: Oven, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 3 1/3 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 7 oz mascarpone
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 14 oz fresh pineapple, peeled (alternatively, canned pineapple)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
- 1 egg (for brushing)
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
- as needed lemon juice
Steps
To prepare the pineapple and coconut swirls, put the flour, instant yeast, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix. Add the warm coconut milk and start the mixer. Also, add the salt and the egg and knead everything until the dough is elastic and detaches from the bottom and sides of the bowl and is wrapped around the hook. At this point, add the soft butter cubes, a little at a time, and continue to knead until fully absorbed and the dough is elastic.
Form a ball with the dough, put it back in the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place, away from drafts, until doubled, about 2 hours.
While the dough rises, prepare the filling.
Clean the pineapple and cut into cubes. Heat a pan with the butter, and when it melts, add the pineapple and cook over high heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring often. Then remove from the heat and let cool. This brief cooking of the pineapple is to prevent it from becoming bitter when in contact with mascarpone. If using canned pineapple, skip this step.
Put the mascarpone in a bowl with the sugar and beat briefly to obtain a creamy and homogeneous mixture.
When the dough has doubled in volume, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to a rectangle of about 12 x 16 inches. Spread the mascarpone filling over the entire surface and then distribute the pineapple over the entire surface.
Roll the dough starting from a long side. Cut the roll into 14 slices and place the obtained swirls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, slightly spaced apart, as they will rise again. Use two trays if necessary.
Once all the swirls are made, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for another 30 minutes in a warm place, away from drafts.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees (static) and beat the egg in a small bowl.
After the resting time, brush the swirls with the beaten egg and bake one tray at a time for about 20 minutes, until the swirls are lightly golden on top.
Remove from the oven, let cool for about fifteen minutes.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix the powdered sugar with a little lemon juice to obtain a thick, white glaze. Decorate the warm swirls with the sugar glaze and enjoy hot or cold.
Tips
Leftover swirls can be frozen and thawed when needed, and they will be like freshly baked.
