Cinnamon Apple Coffeecake

To prepare cake: Lightly butter 2 (8- or 9-inch) baking pans; set aside. (If using disposable aluminum pans, place in larger metal cake pans or on baking sheets for support.) Heat milk to 105 to 115 degrees; whisk in yeast and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. In a large bowl, stir together salt, sugar, spice and about 1-1/2 cups flour. Stir yeast mixture into dry ingredients to make a smooth batter; stir in butter and eggs. Gradually stir in about 1 1/2 cups more flour to make a soft dough.

Coat a bread board sparsely with flour; turn out dough and knead briefly, adding only enough remaining flour to handle. (Dough should stay very moist and soft.) Divide dough in half; roll or press out to fit pans.

Lift dough into prepared pans, stretching to fit and pressing about 1/2 inch up sides; cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.

To prepare topping and assemble cake: Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Drain apple rings; chop coarsely. Sprinkle apples evenly over crusts. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, flour and salt; with a fork, stir in ricotta and vanilla. Drop cheese mixture by spoonfuls over apples; spread to cover apples Sprinkle very lightly with apple pie spice . Bake about 30 minutes, until topping is set; let cool completely on rack.

Yield: 2 coffeecakes, about 9 servings each.

To make ahead: Freeze and give cakes in the pans in which they were baked. Or remove cooled cakes to parchment- or waxed-paper lined baking sheets; freeze until firm, about 1 hour, then transfer to plastic zipper bags. When ready to give, remove cakes from freezer and arrange (still frozen) on presentation plates. Cover and thaw in refrigerator.