Tea Biscuit Cinnamon Sugar Swirls

Affectionately referred to as “Pinwheels”, these sweet treats are a family specialty. This recipe was created by my Nanny (the Pastry Queen!) quite a few years ago. It became a dessert staple for my mother and her siblings throughout their childhood and beyond. A popular late night snack, more often than not whipped up late on a Sunday when the sugar cravings hit. Always a huge hit, the tradition has been passed down through generations!

Growing up, my brother, my father and I would often beg my mother to make "pinwheels" on a Sunday night. Every once in a while, she would give in and whip up this delicious snack. The infrequency is part of what makes these so special in my memories. Since they were a rare treat, the demand and love for them has just increased over the years. But now, with the release of this recipe, you too can enjoy this family favourite any time you want.

Fluffy, light and flakey, the sweetened tea biscuits have a swirled center filled with butter, cinnamon, brown sugar and sometimes raisins. Just pull a pinwheel off from the bunch and enjoy while they are still warm from the oven.

These Pinwheels differ from cinnamon buns in a few key ways. The biggest difference comes down to the type of dough used. Pinwheels are made with a tea biscuit pastry instead of the typical yeast-based dough used for cinnamon buns. Since it's not a yeast-based dough there's no long drawn-out rising time meaning this snack comes together rather quickly - within 30 minutes, cook time included. They rise through the power of baking powder and heat instead of yeast action. These pinwheels also aren’t as gooey as a cinnamon bun, nor are they drenched in a glaze. The result is a more moderate sweetness rather than the blast of heavy sugar that hits you in a cinnamon bun. This makes them the perfect late night counter to a cinnamon bun breakfast.

To make the dough, start by whisking all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Use a sieve when adding the baking powder to make sure there are no clumps. This will prevent any large air bubbles from forming in the baked dough and will help with an even rise during the baking process. You can add the vegetable shortening in one of two ways: either use your fingers to rub it into the dry ingredients, until little crumbs form (no larger than a piece of oatmeal); or, my prefered method is to use a pastry blender to cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until the same consistency is reached. A scant cup of milk is stirred into the dry ingredients until it starts to clump and stick together. In baking terms, a scant cup means just a smidge below the one cup mark.

Next, turn out the dough onto a clean, lightly-floured surface. Knead the dough for 10-20 turns until the dough holds together completely with all the excess flour mixed in. Do this by folding the dough in half and lightly squishing it down repeatedly. This process will create flakey layers in the finished pastry. This dough can sometimes be too sticky to work with if too much milk was added. If that happens, add an extra tablespoon or two of flour while kneading it and flour your hands well. Bench scrapers are a wonderful tool for dealing with sticky or wet dough. They can easily slide underneath to prevent the dough from sticking to a surface. They are also great to help you knead the dough without getting the dough stuck to your hands and making a mess.

Form the dough into a rectangular shape instead of a ball before rolling it out.

Lightly flour the work surface. Sprinkle some flour on top of the dough as well as the rolling pin before rolling the dough out into a rectangular shape about half an inch thick. It’s fine if the rectangular shape has rounded edges.

Next is the sweet filling, which can be applied in two different ways. The original recipe uses softened butter. It can be a pain to spread this across the dough though. If using room temperature butter, use a fork to whip up the butter first. This makes it easier to spread on top of the dough without tearing it. Spread the butter almost to the edges, then sprinkle the brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins. An easier method is to melt the butter and mix it with the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl until a paste forms then apply it like you would the softened butter. Don’t forget to sprinkle the raisins before rolling up the dough!

Start at the longest edge, closest to you. Roll the dough, pulling it slightly tight as you go. Once it's rolled into a log shape, keep rolling until the seam is on the bottom in contact with the work surface. Make sure the log is between 10-11 inches long. Roll it out lengthwise a bit to reach the desired length if necessary. Using a pastry scraper or knife, cut the log into 10, 1 inch sections and place each roll cut-side up in a greased 9 inch cake tin or 8x8 square pan. Try not to squish the rolls together too tightly. Touching is fine, just try to leave some gaps in between so that they have room to expand during the baking process. Cook in the preheated oven for 15-17 minutes or until the tops are golden brown.

The rolls can be pulled apart and enjoyed as a snack or dessert. These snacks have never lasted more than two days and they’re often all gone before the end of the night, so I'm not sure exactly how long they can last at room temperature. Store the leftovers in a container. As always, they are best eaten straight out the oven when still warm.