Pinwheel Cookies

For the filing, mix together the chopped pecans, cocoa and sugar. Blend in milk. Set aside while preparing the dough.

For the dough, sift cake flour before measuring. Resift 1 1/2 cups cake flour with salt. Set aside. Cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in 1 egg yolk. Add the flour mixture alternately with a mixture of milk and vanilla. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Mix until smooth after each addition.

Turn out dough on a lightly floured piece of wax paper. Roll into a rectangular sheet 8×10 inches. Spread with the chocolate nut mixture leaving a 1-inch margin on each 10-inch side. With the aid of the wax paper, roll up like a jelly roll. Wrap in the wax paper and freeze until firm.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Cut the dough into 1/8 inch slices. Place the cookies on a Silpat mat or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes or until the bottom is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

Yields 4 dozen cookies.

(Recipe from my mom’s collection.)