Spelt Viennese Whirls

Viennese whirls are one of those biscuits that look harder than they are. The dough is essentially a very soft, buttery shortbread, and swapping plain flour for white spelt flour adds a gentle nuttiness without changing the method at all.

Spelt has a slightly lower gluten strength than wheat, which actually works in your favour here. The baked biscuits stay tender and short, with a clean snap when you bite through the buttercream filling.

The key is getting the butter soft enough that the dough pipes smoothly through a large star nozzle. Too cold and the dough tears. Too warm and the rosettes spread flat in the oven.

I fill mine with a thin layer of raspberry jam and a swirl of vanilla buttercream. The jam cuts through the richness and keeps each bite balanced.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Spelt flour adds nutty depth to classic shortbread dough
Crisp exterior with a soft, melt-in-mouth centre
No chill time needed, ready to bake straight away
Makes an elegant gift or afternoon tea centrepiece

Ingredient Notes

white spelt flour: Use white spelt rather than wholemeal here. Wholemeal spelt makes the dough too heavy to pipe cleanly. Plain wheat flour works as a direct swap if needed.
unsalted butter: The butter must be very soft, around 20-22 C / 68-72 F. Cold butter will block the piping nozzle and tear the dough as it comes through.
icing sugar: Sift the icing sugar before beating it into the butter. Lumps in the dough can clog the piping bag nozzle mid-session.
cornflour: A small amount of cornflour mixed with the spelt flour gives the biscuits their characteristic melt-in-the-mouth texture. Arrowroot powder works as a substitute.
vanilla extract: Use extract rather than essence for a cleaner flavour in both the dough and the buttercream. Vanilla bean paste also works well.
raspberry jam: A smooth, seedless jam makes assembly neater. Strawberry or apricot jam are equally good. Use about half a teaspoon per biscuit sandwich.

Prep Time 25 mins

Cook Time 14 mins

Total Time 39 mins

Cooking Method: Oven

Cuisine: British

Courses: Dessert

Difficulty: Medium

Cooking Temp: 180 C

Servings: 12

Estimated Cost: 0.45

Calories: 218

Best Season: all_year_round

Dietary: Contains Dairy, Contains dairy and egg, Contains gluten (spelt), Vegetarian

Description

Spelt flour gives these piped shortbread biscuits a slightly nutty depth that plain flour can't match. The dough stays soft enough to pipe cleanly and bakes to a crisp, melt-in-the-mouth texture.

Ingredients

Biscuit dough

200 g white spelt flour
30 g cornflour
170 g unsalted butter, very soft
50 g icing sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch fine sea salt

Vanilla buttercream

80 g unsalted butter, softened
160 g icing sugar, sifted
0.5 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp whole milk (add more if needed for consistency)

Filling

80 g seedless raspberry jam

Instructions

Make the biscuit dough

1
Heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Line two flat baking sheets with parchment paper.
2
Beat the soft butter and sifted icing sugar together with electric beaters on medium-high speed for 4 minutes, until pale and noticeably fluffy.
3
Add the vanilla extract and salt, then beat for another 30 seconds.
4
Sift the white spelt flour and cornflour together directly into the bowl. Fold in gently with a spatula until the dough just comes together. Do not overwork it.
5
Transfer the dough to a large piping bag fitted with a large open star nozzle.

Pipe and bake

6
Pipe 24 rosettes onto the prepared baking sheets, each about 4 cm wide. Hold the bag straight up and release pressure in a slow, steady spiral, finishing with a small upward flick.
7
Space the rosettes at least 3 cm apart. If the kitchen is warm, refrigerate the trays for 10 minutes before baking.
8
Bake on the middle shelf for 12 to 14 minutes, until the bases are pale golden and the edges just start to colour. The tops will still look pale.
9
Remove from the oven and leave on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring carefully to a wire rack. Cool completely before filling.

Make the buttercream and assemble

10
Beat the softened butter with electric beaters for 3 minutes until very pale. Add the sifted icing sugar in two additions, beating well after each. Add the vanilla extract and milk, then beat for 2 more minutes until light and smooth.
11
Match the cooled biscuits into pairs of similar size.
12
Spread or pipe a small swirl of buttercream onto the flat side of one biscuit from each pair.
13
Add half a teaspoon of raspberry jam on top of the buttercream, slightly off-centre so it peeks out at the edge when sandwiched.
14
Press the second biscuit gently on top, flat side down, until the filling reaches the edge. Repeat with the remaining pairs.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 12

Amount Per Serving
Calories 218kcal

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 14g22%
Saturated Fat 9g45%
Cholesterol 37mg13%
Sodium 18mg1%
Potassium 45mg2%
Total Carbohydrate 23g8%
Dietary Fiber 1g4%
Sugars 13g
Protein 2g4%

Vitamin A 430 IU
Calcium 10 mg
Iron 1 mg
Vitamin D 14 IU
Vitamin E 0.5 mg
Vitamin K 2 mcg
Thiamin 0.08 mg
Riboflavin 0.04 mg
Niacin 0.8 mg
Vitamin B6 0.02 mg
Folate 8 mcg
Vitamin B12 0.05 mcg
Phosphorus 55 mg
Magnesium 12 mg
Zinc 0.4 mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

Note

Additional Notes

Butter temperature is the single most important factor. Aim for 20-22 C for clean piping.
Sift both the icing sugar and cornflour directly into the bowl to avoid lumps in the dough.
Bake on the middle shelf only. The top shelf runs hotter and colours the biscuits unevenly.
Let baked biscuits cool on the tray for 5 minutes before moving. They are fragile when warm.
For the buttercream, beat softened butter for 3 minutes before adding icing sugar for a lighter, less dense filling.

Keywords: spelt viennese whirls, spelt shortbread biscuits, piped spelt cookies, wholegrain viennese whirls, spelt baking recipes

Equipment

stand mixer or handheld electric beaters
large piping bag
large open star nozzle (1.5 cm minimum)
two flat baking sheets
parchment paper
wire cooling rack

Tips

Beat the butter and icing sugar for a full 4 minutes until pale and noticeably lighter in texture before adding flour.
Fit your piping bag with a large open star nozzle, at least 1.5 cm wide, to get defined rosette ridges that hold through baking.
Pipe onto a lined baking sheet with the bag held straight up, 2 cm above the surface, and release pressure slowly for even spirals.
Bake one test rosette first to check the dough holds its shape. If it spreads, chill the piped biscuits for 10 minutes before baking.
Cool the biscuits completely before filling. Warm biscuits will melt the buttercream and make the sandwiches slide apart.

Variations

Swap raspberry jam for lemon curd and add 1 tsp lemon zest to the buttercream for a citrus version.
Add 1 tbsp good-quality cocoa powder to the dough for chocolate spelt Viennese whirls with a dark chocolate ganache filling.
Roll the edges of each assembled sandwich in finely chopped roasted hazelnuts for a nutty, textured finish.

Storage and Reheating

Store assembled Viennese whirls in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 3 days. The biscuit softens slightly after the first day as the buttercream moisture migrates, which many people prefer.

Unfilled baked biscuits keep well for up to 5 days in a sealed tin. Fill them on the day you plan to serve for the crispest result.

Froeze unfilled baked biscuits in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before filling. Do not freeze assembled sandwiches.

Serving Suggestions

These biscuits work well on a tiered stand at afternoon tea alongside a pot of Earl Grey or Assam. Their piped shape makes them a strong visual choice when you want the spread to look considered without much extra effort.

For a casual gathering, arrange them on a wooden board with fresh raspberries and a small bowl of clotted cream on the side. The fruit mirrors the jam filling and keeps the plate from looking bare.

They also pack well in a small box lined with parchment, which makes them a practical choice for gifting or a bake sale.

Read it online: https://greatbritishspeltrecipes.com/recipe/spelt-viennese-whirls/

Valentina

A dietitian with a passion for spelt cooking. After trying different diets, I found spelt works best in my kitchen. Join me for simple, delicious recipes that bring out the best in this ancient grain!