VEGETARIAN

FRUITY APPLE SPIRAL SWIRLS … for Monthly Mingle

2009/10/04 / 42 Comments
“There are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”
Henry James
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It’s time for Monthly Mingle, Meeta’s little baby that she so lovingly created in 2006. It’s being hosted this time by Aparna @ My Diverse kitchen. MM 125The Monthly Mingle call this month is for high tea snacks, something I used to find quite challenging not so long ago. No longer though since blogging has opened untold avenues. ‘Don’t know what to make’ is passe! Now it’s more like, “shall I make this, this, this, or, oooooh this”! fruity+spirals+for+MM3
The call was for ‘High Tea Treats’, & I immediately got transported to the Ritz, a hotel we oft halted outside often while wandering around Central London. Never did we step in, for in those days the pockets were empty, and so The Ritz intimidating! Known for it’s afternoon tea service, the picture in my mind of The Ritz is a whimsical one … well laid tables, dainty linen, polished silver, fine china, delicate pastries, elegant petit fours, scones, clotted cream, jam … !

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Reading Indulge-100 Perfect Desserts by Claire Clark led me into the kitchens in the basement of The Ritz Hotel in Piccadilly where she worked as a pastry chef in 1984. I quote from her book, “I dreaded the run up to the weekend, when the hotel held its famous tea dances. We would slave away all week constructing the intricate, delicate and elegant pastries to give ourselves time to make, roll, cut and bake vast amounts of scones on the day.”

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I associate British cuisine with high tea, a tradition as elegant as it is beautiful. My first exposure to this lovely tradition was back in the 80’s when a bunch of us girlfriends had gone over to stay in a castle up in North England that was being restored by a Scottish lady. The memories are quite faint now, but I vividly remember a couple of things … the huge gate-posts made of stone with carved lion heads, early morning mist, beds of lavender, the beautiful guest rooms in hues of pastel pinks & lilac, interiors daintily done up in hand-made lace and linen made by Irish nuns … & fresh scones for tea! fruity+spirals+for+MM+1
I made ‘Coffee-glazed Chocolate chip scones’ almost exactly a year ago from Ari‘s Baking & Books, and some ‘Dark Chocolate, Craisin & Walnut Scones’ from a David Lebovitz recipe more recently. So this time, for the Monthly Mingle, I explored BBC Good Food for tea snacks, and found plenty of eye candy there. Beautiful options from the Olive Magazine amongst others, but I eventually settled for this rather rustic roll … Fruity Spices Swirls. 2I had all the ingredients on hand, & the recipe seemed simple, allowing me room for change. It’s very difficult for me to stick to a recipe to the T, as my mind tends to wander off marking its own path. These fruity swirls are something like an apple strudel, but sans the hard work of rolling paper thin pastry. Then again, something like a Swiss roll, but with rustic pastry. The pastry isn’t flaky & buttery, but is still light & full of apple, raisin & nuts tossed in a spiced sweet butter… fruity+spirals+for+MM6These are an entry for the episode of Monthly Mingle that you are hosting Aparna. No eggs is just how I know you’ll love these. I even substituted the egg yolk wash for a glaze with milk to make them a 100% vegetarian! This was a fun recipe, and the resultant swirls were delicious eaten warm with tea. Big hit with the hub & kids too. I sliced 15 portions as against the 10 in the original recipe as one of the reviewers said that the portions were big. I stored the leftovers in the fridge, and the daughter devoured them back from her camping trip. I was told they tasted good cold too!

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Fruity Apple Spiced Swirls
Adapted from this recipe at BBC Good Food
Ingredients:
2 tsp pie spice
3 tbsp demerara sugar
4 tbsp soft butter
1 eating apple , peeled and finely chopped
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dried black grapes
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
350g flour
¼ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
85g cold butter , cut into cubes
4 tbsp demerera sugar
1/2 cup yogurt
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp milk, to glaze

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Method:


Toss chopped apple in lime juice & add raisins, black grapes & walnuts.
Beat 1 tsp pie spice and 2 tbsp demerara into the butter, then stir in the apple and raisins.
Mix the remaining spices in with the flour.
Put the flour mixture, 1 tsp pie spice, salt and baking powder into a food processor, then whizz in the butter until it disappears. Pulse in the sugar, tip into a large bowl, then make a well in the middle. Warm the yogurt, milk and vanilla together in the microwave for 1 min or in a pan; it should be hot and may well go a bit lumpy-looking. Tip into the bowl and quickly work into the flour mix using a cutlery knife. As soon as it’s all in, stop.Put a flat baking sheet in the oven at 220C. Turn the dough onto a floured surface, then roll to about 40 x 30cm. Spread with the fruity butter, then roll up from the long side, tucking the ends over neatly. Cut into 1″ slices. Brush with milk and scatter with 1 tbsp demerara. Flour the baking sheet, then bake for 14 mins until golden and risen. IMG 7297Eat warm, with more butter if you dare. (We didn’t!)

♥ Thank you for stopping by ♥

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As I wrap up, I’d like to thank 2morrowknight for the including my name is his list of 10 top foodies tweeters in his article on The Huffington Post here – 10 World Class Chefs on Twitter Who Make it Sizzle. Thank you!!

Posted by Deeba @ PAB

About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.

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42 Comments

  • Barbara

    2009/10/04 at 3:59 pm Reply

    Those look so much like rugelach but you've added grapes- interesting. And yogurt. Sounds wonderful.

  • Nachiketa

    2009/10/04 at 4:01 pm Reply

    Hey!!!!

    Just came back from 'high tea' at a cousin's place and here I see you posting on it… 🙂

    Had taken Triple Fudge Brownies and Cappuccino Buttermilk Muffins [Your recipe 🙂] and Sugarfree Apple Crumble….

    They loved them….

    They had a spread of snacks for us 🙂

  • Aparna

    2009/10/04 at 4:53 pm Reply

    First of all, congrats on your mention.
    A big thanks for a completely "egg-free" entry (though eggs are allowed) because you know that I'm going to be making this soon. 🙂
    I knew I could count on you to come up with something interesting to bring along for High Tea.

  • MeetaK

    2009/10/04 at 6:49 pm Reply

    deeba! i am coming over for tea and i want you make these for me please. they look just sensational! thanks for the entry!

  • Random Thoughts

    2009/10/04 at 7:02 pm Reply

    congratulations babe!! truly awesome and well deserved mention!! also fab looking stuff.

  • Natashya KitchenPuppies

    2009/10/04 at 7:03 pm Reply

    What a wonderful tea time confection! Ontario apples are at the peak of season now, and we are always looking for more tasty ways to use them. Your swirls are beautiful!

  • Sophie

    2009/10/04 at 9:10 pm Reply

    I would like to savour this with a good cup of coffee,…
    what wonderful & rich treats!!

    MMMMMMMMMMMMMM,…

  • Manggy

    2009/10/05 at 2:34 am Reply

    I actually have very little idea what's "in" for tea- after all, we were never British :/ I would gladly eat this any time of the day, though 🙂

  • Shabs..

    2009/10/05 at 9:42 am Reply

    Deeba, u rock dear…..im stunned at the recipe n pics…ur kids r so lucky getting to eat such wonderful treats often….somebody pls make them for me…

  • Rupa

    2009/10/05 at 10:48 am Reply

    WOW, how yummy….and love you for an eggless recipe….I salivate at your blog very often (though leaving a comment for the 1st time)but am a vegetarian…would love if you can post more eggless recipes or if you can post substitutes in every post of yours for people like me…You are my baking inspiration.

    Regards,
    Rupa.

  • Miakoda

    2009/10/05 at 11:46 am Reply

    Wow, Deeba, looks yummy and filling. I always wished we had a time set aside for savoring a bit of food and good conversation, but in our family/culture, it just didn't happen 🙂 Perhaps if we had incentives like these swirls…!

  • Soma

    2009/10/05 at 2:54 pm Reply

    I can almost smell these things getting baked. Today there is a slight nip in the air, & I am just imagine myself curling up with some coffee & your creation. (no tea, no dainty linens:-) ). Bookmarked.

  • Bellini Valli

    2009/10/05 at 3:01 pm Reply

    Apple season is upon us in full swing. I love to visit the orchards with all their promise. This looks like a deliicous recipe Deeba.

  • Happy cook

    2009/10/05 at 4:27 pm Reply

    HI hi i just posted the sacher today in my place too from the book.
    These fruit swirils looks so so beautiful , and so yumm.
    I see the header has changed again. I don't think i have seen that cake in your place. hmmmmmm so i am looking to a another beautiful cake there in the header tooo.

  • CinnamonQuill

    2009/10/05 at 9:16 pm Reply

    These sound excellent. Truly, my kind of dessert, or teatime accompaniment 🙂 I look forward to trying these!

  • Meghna

    2009/10/06 at 2:21 am Reply

    Love Love Love your blog!! I've been following your blog religiously for some time now and I have even inspired to bake one of your cake.I guess it's time to shout it loud how much I love ur blog!! 🙂

  • Curry Leaf

    2009/10/06 at 11:15 am Reply

    Scrumptious swirls.No wonder you are on the Top 10 list.Sizzling you sure are.Hearty Swirls and I wtoo will not go for extra butter.

  • Murasaki Shikibu

    2009/10/06 at 2:10 pm Reply

    This is very nice Deeba. Love your presentation. I can relate to having difficulties finding ingredients as I've lived in Asia most of my life and now I'm in Spain where baking isn't a big pastime for people.

  • Baking Monster

    2009/10/06 at 9:24 pm Reply

    I know exactly what you mean with the whole blogging thing, now there is just too much to make. but I love high tea desserts thanks for sharing this!

  • kellypea

    2009/10/07 at 1:34 am Reply

    What a lovely dessert. Baked apple treats always get my attention and I'd have trouble eating just one slice of this — extra butter or not! It's great when you can whip up something this yummy without having to go to the market for an ingredient ; )

  • Jamie

    2009/10/09 at 10:35 am Reply

    I can't wait to get to the Monthly Mingle High Tea! There will be so much fab food to eat! This is a really perfect dessert, Deeba. I may even make one myself!

  • chinesischer grüner Tee

    2010/01/11 at 3:53 am Reply

    These are amazing. Thank you so much for the recipe. I am going to try this with my green tea. Today's evening tea is going to rock!

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