Cinnamon Whirls

These are like Danish Pastries, but I don't like raisins, so this is my version.

Equipment

• Baking tray
• Rolling pin

Oven Temperatures

preheated oven, 190C 375F GM5

Ingredients

• Bread:
• 225g or 8oz strong white bread flour and some spare
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 sachet easy blend dried yeast
• 25g or 1oz butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 egg, beaten
• 125ml or 4 fl oz warm milk
• Filling:
• 70g or 2½oz butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, a generous 2 teaspoons, say 4 or 5 :-)
• 50g or 1¾oz soft brown sugar
• 100g or 3½oz plain chocolate chips (I just use an entire packet, but if you chip it yourself this may not be a very helpful amount) Some very strange and peculiar people may choose to use raisins or nuts instead, but as these don't melt they should only use 50g or 1¾oz.
• Topping:
• maple syrup

Instructions

1. Sieve the flour and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir in the yeast.
2. Rub in the butter.
3. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture.
4. Pour in the egg and milk.
5. Mix the ingredients together to make a dough, kneading only slightly. You will probably need to add more flour to make the dough stop sticking to everything.
6. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a very damp cloth (helps make rolls softer) and leave to rise in a warm place for about 40 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. (If in cold student digs, make a nest out of a hot water bottle, blanket or towel and a box big enough for bottle and bowl.)
7. Lightly grease baking tray.
8. Knock back the dough by kneading lightly for a minute.
9. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin to make a roughly rectangular shape between half a centimetre and a centimetre thick.
10. To make the filling, cream together the butter, cinnamon and sugar until light and fluffy.
11. Spread the filling over the dough, leaving a 2cm gap along one of the longer edges (to stick to the dough when rolled up).
12. Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the cinnamon paste. I do this fairly thickly.
13. Roll up the dough like a swiss roll, starting at the long edge that is covered in filling. Press down to seal - this should be on the long edge where you left the gap without filling so it would stick okay. (Note: swiss rolls are not moulded in a spiral shaped cake tin, no matter how twisted your brain is.)
14. Cut the roll into about 12 slices with a sharp knife.
15. Places the slices on the baking tray, cover with a wet cloth and leave in a warm area for 30 minutes
16. Bake in a preheated oven, 190C 375F GM5 for 20-30 minutes or until well-risen.
17. Drizzle with maple syrup while still hot and leave to cool before transferring to a wire rack.
18. Serve while warm (but not hot, as the chocolate stays very hot for ages) or once cooled.

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This page was last updated by Mad Hatter on 8th January 2002.