Filo pinwheel cookies

Mix the demerara sugar with the cardamom and a pinch of salt.

Lay a sheet of filo on the parchment oriented vertically and brush the whole sheet lightly with melted butter, letting the bristles run over it without force so it does not tear.

Sprinkle about a tablespoon and a half of the spiced sugar over the surface from up high so the granules separate.

Lay a second sheet on top, lining up the sides, and butter and sugar it the same way.

Roll the two-sheet stack up into a tight log, folding the end over to start it; wrinkles and cracks at this stage do not matter.

Make a second stack of two sheets the same way, lay the first roll at its base and roll the second stack around it.

Repeat with sheets five and six and sheets seven and eight, using the rest of the sugar, so four stacks of two are rolled up into one spiral.

Butter the ninth sheet but add no sugar, and roll the whole log up in it to seal it so it does not tear when sliced.

Wrap the log loosely in the parchment so it does not dry out, cover with the damp towel and chill in the freezer about 15 minutes until solid but not frozen through, which would break the filo.

Preheat the oven to 350F with a rack in the centre.

With a serrated knife, trim the irregular end and slice the log into cookies about half an inch thick using long strokes, pressing any tearing back into place.

Space them on the parchment-lined sheet; they do not spread, puff or need any topping, and can be molded rounder by hand.

Bake about 20 minutes until golden brown, checking underneath, since the butter and sugar settle to the bottom and it is always darker.