Cocoa Swirl Bread Pinwheels

These pinwheels started life as a way to use up the odd slices of bread sitting on the counter. Soft sandwich bread gets rolled around a warm cocoa mixture, and the result looks far fancier than the ten minutes it takes to make. My favourite part is how the cocoa paste thickens as it cooks, so you get a glossy, spreadable filling rather than a runny sauce that would soak through the bread.

A little cocoa goes a long way. Cocoa powder is made from the roasted, ground seeds of the cacao tree, and it is naturally dark and bitter before any sweetener touches it. That is why a small spoonful of sugar substitute is enough here. Taste the mixture before you spread it and adjust if you want it sweeter, but go slowly, because it firms up a little as it cools.

When you trim the crusts, keep them. Whizz them in a blender with a pinch of cinnamon and you have crumbs for topping plain yoghurt or a bowl of fruit. Whole wheat bread is a sturdy base for rolling, and it holds its shape better than white bread when it is spread with something warm. If you want a lighter bite, roll a thinner layer of filling and go easy on the oats, which add a nice chewiness but can make the roll feel dense.

These are best eaten right after they are cut, while the bread is still soft and the filling is slightly warm. If you have leftovers, keep them loosely covered at room temperature for a few hours. Don't refrigerate them, because the bread turns firm and dry. They are not really a make-ahead snack, so it is better to make only what you will eat.

For a fuller snack, pair them with something savoury and crisp. A bowl of cut cucumber and a cup of unsweetened tea works well. If you are in the mood for more bread-based bites, the Spiced Paneer Open Toast on Multigrain Bread and the Toasted Tomato and Cucumber Mint Sandwich both make a good savoury balance. For something on the sweeter side, the Toasted Oats and Orange Milk Pudding is a gentle, warm finish to a light meal.