Have ready an unbuttered baking sheet.
Place in a saucepan and bring to a boil:
      8 ounces dried prunes or dried apricots, cut in half
      1 cup water or cider
      1/4 cup sugar
      Pinch of salt
Reduce the heat and simmer until the prunes are very soft, 20 to 30 minutes. (Some fruits are drier than others—add more liquid and cook a bit longer if necessary to soften.) Stir in:
      2 tablespoons lemon juice
      2 tablespoons Armagnac or Cognac (optional)
Transfer to a blender or food processor and puree. Remove to a small bowl. Prepare:
      Raspberry Danish Pinwheels
without cutting slits in the dough squares and substituting the prune filling for the jam. Place a scant tablespoon of prune or apricot filling in the center of each square in place of jam. Gather up the 4 corners of the dough and pinch together above the filling. Place the pastries 2 to 3 inches apart on the baking sheet. Let rise until puffy, 30 to 60 minutes.
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Bake the pastries until golden brown, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove to a rack and let cool completely before serving.