Baked Apple Roly Poly

Ingredients

10 oz (275g) self-raising flour
pinch of salt
5 oz (150 g) shredded suet
some cold water
1 lb (450g) cooking apples
3 oz (75g) Demerara or soft brown sugar
2 level tsp ground cinnamon
3 oz (75g) sultanas
Milk and sugar to glaze

Method

1. Turn on the oven to moderately hot, 400ºF, 200ºC, Gas mark 6.
2. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl and mix in the suet.
3. Add just enough cold water to mix to a soft but not sticky dough.
4. Roll out your pastry on a floured board, to a rectangle about 12x14 inches (30x35 cms).
5. Trim the edges and then cut off a strip about 2 inches wide from the shorter side. (What exactly does this mean? I suppose it means that you now have a square 12x12 inches, and a strip 12x2 inches—but see further below for counter evidence to this theory).
6. Peel core and chop the apples (NB chop them small!)
7. Spread the chopped apple over the pastry to within 1 inch of the edge.
8. Mix the brown sugar and the cinnamon together and sprinkle over the apples.
9. Scatter the sultanas over the apples.
10. Fold the pastry edges over the apples on the long sides. (humph, I thought there was no long side any more?)
11. Brush these and both ends with water. 
12. Roll it up from the shorter side like a swiss roll, and seal the ends.
13. Place the roll, join downwards, on a sheet of foil on a baking tray. Push up the sides of the foil to hold the pastry roll in shape. (Hmm I think it is more recommended to put it in a tin with sides, such as a very large loaf tin or an oblong tin).
14.  Gather up the trimmings with the pastry strip, roll into two thin sausage shapes and twist them together. 
15. Brush the roly poly with milk and sprinkle with caster sugar.
16. Place the twist down the centre of the roll and brush with milk. 
17. Make four slits in the pastry on each side of the roll to allow the steam to escape.
18. Bake in the centre of the preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown. If the pastry twist browns too quickly cover it with a strip of foil to protect it. (I am beginning to wonder why we bother with this twist of pastry?)

Serve hot with custard or cream, or a hot sweet white sauce. This can be dairy free if you don't glaze it with milk. 

Honey and walnut cookies (can be dairy free)

adapted from a recipe at bakingbites.com

It is ok if quantities are a bit approximate, as long as proportions are roughly the same.

1 cup plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp bicarb of soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup vegetable/sunflower oil (I think melted butter would do, too)
1/3 cup honey
1 tsp vanilla extract (or just use vanilla sugar)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat the oven to 180C and grease a large baking sheet.

Mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the oil (or butter), honey and vanilla extract (if applicable). Pour this into the flour mixture and stir. Add the walnuts and stir briefly so that the walnuts are well distributed in the cookie dough.
Using your fingers, shape the dough into 12 balls (approx 1-inch diameter) and place onto the baking sheet, well apart because they will spread. Flatten the top of the balls slightly.

Bake for 10 minutes, until cookies are lightly browned around the edges.
Cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

Eat within a few days otherwise they will go a bit chewy.