Apple and Ginger Rolls (can be dairy free/egg free, vegan)

January is always difficult isn't it?  I try to be good, but weather, work and general blah after the holidays always seem to conspire against me.

Here is a recipe thats a little bit of nice, but not too naughty, especially if you serve it with something like fat free frozen yoghurt or IceDelight my favourite dairy free frozen treat!

I made mine dairy free by using vegan pastry dough (Jus-Rol Filo is vegan) and using Pure Spread not butter for the final brush.  I also used soya based cream cheese Tofutti instead of the Philadelphia.

Don't be put off by the complicated sounding rolling bit!  Its just like filling a fajita!  I should have taken blow by blow photos really; I promise some soon!

Ingredients

2.5cm piece peeled fresh ginger
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp cornflour
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
60g reduced-fat cream cheese (Philadelphia) softened
10 sheets (9 x 14 in./23 x 35 cm) thawed frozen Filo pastry
Oil to moisten the dough
1 tbsp butter, melted
Icing sugar (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grate ginger using Microplane® Adjustable Fine Grater to measure 2 tsp.

2. Use the apple wedger to core and wedge the apples. Coarsely chop apples with Food Chopper.

3. Combine ginger, apples, granulated sugar, cornflour and cinnamon in Classic Batter Bowl; mix well using Small Mix ‘N Scraper®.

4. Microwave on HIGH for 3-–4 minutes or until thickened and bubbly; stir. Cool for 5 minutes. Add cream cheese and mix well.

5. Lay one sheet of the filo on Cutting Board and brush with silicone basting brush with oil or use a Kitchen Spritzer filled with your choice of oil to spray the dough. Fold filo in half crosswise. Cut folded sheet in half lengthwise, leaving folded edge intact. Spoon a rounded 1 tbsp of the filling to within 2.5 cm of folded edge of filo using Adjustable Measuring Spoon, leaving a 2.5 cm border on each side. Lift folded edge of filo up over filling, tucking filo tightly around filling. Fold sides of filo in toward center; gently roll up.
Repeat with remaining filo and filling.

6. Place rolls, seam sides down, onto Medium Bar Pan or other flat stone; lightly brush with melted butter using Chef's Silicone Basting Brush. Bake for 12–-14 minutes or until rolls are golden brown. Remove from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Sprinkle with icing sugar, if desired.

Yield: 10 servings of 2 rolls

Nutrients per serving:

Calories 100, Total Fat 2.5 g, Saturated Fat 1.5 g, Cholesterol 5 mg, Carbohydrate 19 g, Protein 2 g, Sodium 80 mg, Fiber 1 g


Cook's Tips:

Keep filo sheets covered with cling film while working on recipes to keep them from drying out. Wrap any leftover filo tightly with cling film and store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 2 months.

Ginger biscuits and lots of rain.

To say I got wet today is an understatement.  I headed out to collect daughter number one from school with the sky looking grey and a bit threatening, so I put daughter number two in the buggy with the raincover, changed out of sandals into something sturdier and put on my raincoat.  By the time I had managed to get half way along the road the heavens had opened, rivers ran across the pavements, drains bubbled, water fell off roofs in great sheets, and I was soaked to the skin!

Then the hail and thunder and lightening started.....by that time I was laughing and splashing through the huge puddles like a mad woman, while the streets emptied and others huddled in doorways.

I got to the school gates dripping wet, collected my daughter and then headed to the pool for her swimming lesson.  A comedy ten minutes ensued while the little one tried to dry my trousers with a hairdryer.  I gave up and steamed gently through the rest of the lesson!

When we finally got home I changed, dispensed warm drinks and toast and then went into the kitchen looking for solace.  I found it in the shape of these biscuits which remind me of childhood and have been in my mum's recipe folder forever.  I've recently added the stem ginger to these and find it gives a lovely additional layer of flavour.

Ginger Fairlings

Feel free to use any gluten free flour for these as it works pretty well.  They are a little crumbly but you could add a little xanthan gum to help prevent that (about 1/2 tsp is enough).  If you use Dove's Farm it already has this added in the self raising flour anyway so don't add any.

Ginger Fairlings (dairy and egg free/vegan)

Ingredients

4oz (1/2 cup) Vegan Margarine or butter
1 tbsp golden syrup
3oz (1/3 cup) sugar
6oz (1 1/4 cups) self raising flour
1 tsp ground ginger
pinch of bicarbonate of soda
2 pieces of stem ginger

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C
2. Melt the margarine and syrup in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
3. Remove from the heat and add the sugar.  Stir well with a bamboo spoon.
4. Chop the stem ginger finely with a utility knife on a cutting board and add to the pan.
5. Add in the flour, ground ginger and bicarbonate of soda and stir well to mix everything to a dough.
6. Using the small scoop, scoop out balls and roll them lightly in your hands to make them smooth.  Place on a flat stone such as a medium round stone or medium bar pan.
7. I like to squash them down with a fork to make the pattern on the top but you could just give them a squish with the palm of your hand.
8. Cook for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. (Mine usually take precisely 12 mins!)
9. Leave to cool for a few minutes on the stone before removing to a cooling rack with a mini-serving spatula to cool.
10. Enjoy with a well deserved cuppa!

A nice cuppa and some vegan ginger fairlings  - ahhhh!