Apple Pinwheels with Creamy Cinnamon Syrup

Pastry

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 egg, beaten
• 3/4 cup evaporated milk

Filling

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups apples, peeled, cored & finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 cup butter

Creamy Cinnamon Syrup

• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 cup evaporated milk

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Dough:.
3. Combine flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, baking powder and salt. Cut in shortening till well mixed.
4. Stir together beaten egg & 3/4 cup milk then add to flour mixture. Stir till dough comes together. Chill while preparing apples & syrup.
5. Filling:.
6. Combine sugar & water in a saucepan. Heat till sugar is melted & it gets syrupy. Set aside
7. Time to Assemble
8. Roll chilled dough into a 1/4 inch thick rectangle.
9. Distribute apples evenly over dough. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon cinnamon over apples.
10. Starting at the long side, roll like a jelly roll; dampen edges to seal roll & slice into 1/2 inch pieces.
11. Melt butter in a 9 X 13 inch baking pan. Place apple rolls in the melted butter. Pour the sugar syrup over slices & bake for 1 hour.
12. Serve with warm cinnamon syrup.

Creamy Cinnamon Syrup 

• 1 C. light corn syrup
• 2 C. granulated sugar
• 1/2 C. water
• 1 C. evaporated milk
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

In a medium pan, combine everything BUT the milk. Bring this mixture to a full boil over medium heat while stirring constantly and cook 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool for about 5 minutes. Stir in the evaporated milk, and serve warm over pancakes or waffles.

Gingerbread

Today’s bread comes to us from the inimitable M. F. K. Fisher, out of her book How To Cook A Wolf, published in 1942.    Mrs. Fisher herself states it is the grandest gingerbread recipe she has ever seen.  Mrs. Fisher, suggests that it be served with  ”unsalted butter, preferably pressed into little pats.


Adapted from How To Cook A Wolf, by M. F. K. Fisher

Makes one 8 x 4 inch loaf

5 1/2 ounces (about 1 1/4 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated shortening
1/4 cup sugar
6 ounces (1/2 cup) molasses
3/4 teaspoon baking soda, divided
3/4 cup boiling water
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons candied ginger, chopped finely
1.  Preheat the oven to 325º F.  Butter an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan, and sprinkle with a spoonful of flour, knocking the pan to remove any excess.  Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt.
2.  In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the shortening and the sugar with the paddle attachment, until thoroughly mixed.  In a separate bowl, beat the molasses and 1/2 teaspoon baking soda with a nonstick spatula until light-colored and fluffy.  Add the molasses to the shortening mixture, and beat until combined, scraping the bowl down as needed.
3.  Add the remaining 1/4 teaspoon baking soda to the boiling water, and stir to dissolve.  Alternate adding the water and the dry ingredients to the molasses mixture, in about three installments, scraping the bowl after each addition.  When thoroughly mixed, fold in the beaten egg and the candied ginger.
4.  Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, and bake at 325º F for about 35 minutes, or until fully baked and the center of the loaf feels firm when pressed gently on top.  Begin checking the bread for doneness after 20 minutes in the oven, so as to not burn.  Let cool briefly in the pan before turning out to cool thoroughly on a wire rack.
Notes:
1.  Gingerbread will keep at room temperature, wrapped tightly, for up to a week.  Frozen, it will keep for a month or so.