The Cream Cheese Tip That Will Keep Your Pinwheel Sandwiches Stuck Together
Smaller than regular sammies, pinwheel sandwiches are great for kids who have little appetites. However, these swirly fellas can unfurl if they aren't rolled tightly enough, which can lead to messy hands and faces. Luckily, you can ensure that your pinwheels stick together better with a schmear of cream cheese.
While spreading a layer of cream cheese over your tortilla will lend your pinwheels heaps of creamy flavor and a richer mouthfeel, it will also create a sticky surface for the rest of your fillings, such as fresh greens and deli meats, to cling to. This will keep them everything fixed and stable when you roll up your wrap, but more importantly, the cream cheese will act like edible glue and hold your tortilla together on the final roll.
Other spreads, such as pesto, hummus, and tapenade can work too, however, they don't have the same viscosity of cream cheese, which has a stickier, almost adhesive-like quality that stays put. Plus, if you place your rolled tortilla in plastic wrap and chill it before slicing into pinwheels, the cream cheese will set, unlike a condiment, such as ketchup or mustard. All you need to do is spread your cream cheese all the way to the edge of your wrap, roll it, and press down firmly on the seal to secure it. Alternatively, if you don't want to use cream cheese on the entire surface≤ you can simply smear a small amount along one edge of your wrap and roll it over.
Be creative with flavored cream cheese
Don't feel limited to sticking to a neutral-flavored cream cheese when making pinwheel sandwiches. Take the opportunity to elevate the flavor of your sammy with an array of cream cheese flavors, from garlic and herbs and chopped chives to sweet chili, and French onion. There are a variety of store-bought brands you can choose from, or if you prefer, you can customize a dollop of plain cream cheese with your own fixings, such as jalapenos, dill pickles, or capers. You could even use fruity cream cheese flavors to whip up a batch of sweet pinwheel sarnies that mimic the taste and texture of a classic New York-style cheesecake.
The best way to prepare your wraps for pinwheel sandwiches is to heat them up in the microwave to soften them. This quick tip will make your wraps more pliable so they can be rolled up easily without creating any holes and cracks in the surface where the filling can escape. Warming up your store-bought tortilla wraps is particularly important if they contain add-ins such as wholegrains or pea protein, which can lend them a stiffer texture. Finally, always use large tortillas so you can create a tight swirl in the center of your pinwheels: the more rotations, the less likely they'll be able to unfurl.