KS Quotient

Fairly Easy: Two-stage mixing. Hand-shaping required.

Generous ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

1¾ cups fresh (or frozen) thawed cranberries, coarsely chopped

1 cup peeled and chopped (¼-inch) Granny Smith or similar tart apples

½ teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

2/3 cup dark or golden raisins or a combination

1 recipe All-Purpose Enriched Sweet Dough, ready for the second rise

Unbleached all-purpose white flour for dusting

1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water for wash

Transparent Powdered Sugar Glaze or Powdered Sugar—Lemon Drizzle, optional

Ready the filling In a medium heavy saucepan, thoroughly stir together the sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Stir in the cranberries, apples, and orange zest. Cook, stirring, over low heat until the fruits begin to release their juice. Raise the heat slightly and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens and the apples soften a bit, about 5 minutes. Stir in the raisins. Set aside until cooled.

Second Rise Dust the batch of All-Purpose Enriched Sweet Dough all over with flour, turning to coat it evenly. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Coat an 18-inch-long sheet of baking parchment (or wax paper) with nonstick spray and generously dust with flour. Turn out the dough onto the center of the parchment. Dusting the dough with flour to prevent stickiness as needed, pat and press it into a rough 9-inch-long rectangle with flour-dusted fingertips. Dust with more flour, then press or roll out the dough into a 10 x 16-inch evenly thick rectangle. Evenly spread the room temperature fruit filling over the dough to within ¼ inch of the edge all around.

Tightly roll up the dough from a 16-inch-wide side to form a long pinwheel log; use flour-dusted hands and lift up the parchment to assist the rolling and pinch the seam tightly closed as you work. Roll the log onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, placing seam-side down. Stretch the log out from the center until evenly thick along the length. Bring the ends together to form a ring, pressing and smoothing and pulling away from the center so the ring is evenly thick and smooth and the center opening is at least 3 inches in diameter. If an ovenproof custard cup or small ramekin is available, coat the outside with nonstick spray, then set it in the center of the ring so it will stay open during baking. Using well-oiled kitchen shears, make 1½-inch-deep cuts into the ring sides at about 2-inch -intervals so the filling is exposed, then turn the cut portions on a slight diagonal so the pinwheel design shows. Brush the ring evenly with the egg wash. Tent it with nonstick spray—coated foil.

Let Rise Using Any of These Methods For a 1½- to 2½-hour regular rise, let stand at warm room temperature; or for an extended rise, refrigerate for 4 to 48 hours, then set out at room temperature. Continue the rise until the ring has doubled from the deflated size.

Baking Preliminaries 15 minutes before baking time, place a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 375°F.

Baking Bake on the lower rack for 40 to 50 minutes, until the top is well browned; cover the top with foil partway through as necessary to prevent over-browning. Carefully loosen, then remove the cup from the ring center. Bake for 5 to 10 minutes more, until a skewer inserted in the thickest part comes out with only a few particles on the end (or until the thick- est part registers 204° to 205°F on an instant-read thermometer) to ensure the ring is done. Let the pan cool on a wire rack until the ring has cooled for 15 minutes. Brush the ring with Transparent Powdered Sugar Glaze, or drizzle with the Powdered Sugar—Lemon Drizzle. Then slide the ring onto a serving platter and serve.