Pistachio Snail Recipe

Make the dough

In a large bowl combine 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tsp granulated sugar and 1 tsp fine sea salt. Add 3 tbs cold unsalted butter (cubed) and, using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits of butter remaining.

Bind the dough

Add 5 tbs cold water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork until dough just comes together. Do not overwork. Gather into a disk, wrap in plastic and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Roll out

After chilling, place dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle roughly 12 x 8 inches and about 1/8–1/4 inch thick. Keep chilled if it becomes soft.

Toast the pistachios

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Spread 1 cup shelled raw pistachios on a baking sheet and toast for 8–10 minutes until fragrant. Let cool slightly.

Process pistachios

Place the toasted pistachios in a food processor and pulse until a coarse mix forms. Reserve 1/2 cup ground pistachios for texture and roughly chop the remainder so you have about 1 cup combined (some coarse bits for bite).

Make pistachio butter filling

In a medium bowl, cream 6 tbs softened unsalted butter with 1 cup powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy (about 2–3 minutes). Add 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tbs milk, 1 tsp orange zest (optional) and 1/4 tsp fine sea salt; mix until combined. Fold in the processed pistachios (both ground and chopped) until evenly distributed. The filling should be spreadable but not runny; if too thick add up to 1 tsp more milk.

Spread filling and roll

Place the rolled dough rectangle on a sheet of parchment. Evenly spread the pistachio filling over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the long edge. Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log (like a jelly roll) so the seam is on the bottom.

Cut snails

Using a sharp knife, trim 1/2 inch from each end, then slice the log into 12 equal pieces (about 3/4–1 inch thick) to form 'snails'. Place each snail cut-side up on a baking sheet lined with parchment, spacing about 1 inch apart.

Egg wash and garnish

Beat 1 large egg with 1 tsp water to make an egg wash. Brush the tops and exposed spiral edges of each snail lightly with the egg wash. Sprinkle each with turbinado sugar and some chopped pistachios for crunch.

Bake

Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 18–22 minutes, or until pastry is golden and filling is set. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color.

Glaze and cool

If using, warm 2 tbs apricot jam with 1 tsp water until glossy and brush lightly over warm snails to give shine. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely. Pistachio snails are best served slightly warm or at room temperature.