Kringle (Estonian Cinnamon Braid Bread)

Ingredients:

For the Dough:
400g flour
250ml milk, at room temperature
1 tbsp sugar
7g sachet active, dry, yeast
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
1 eggs yolk

For the Filling
50g butter, at room temperature
5 tbsp light brown sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tbsp ground almonds

Method:

Pre-heat your oven to 180°C. Line a baking tray with baking parchment.

Mix together the yeast, sugar and a little milk in a small bowl. Set aside to activate for 10 min, until frothy. At the end of this time add the yolk and melted butter (now at room temperature). Stir.

Combine the flour, salt, liquid mixture, the remainder of the milk in the bowl of a stand mixer and knead a dough with a hook attachment until it begins to come off the walls of the mixer bowl. Transfer the dough to a lightly-buttered bowl, cover with foil and set aside to rise for about an hour.

In a separate bowl, mix together the softened butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ground almonds to form the filling.

Turn the risen dough onto a floured work surface. Knock the dough back then form into a rough rectangle using a rolling pin. Use a spoon to arrange the filling over the top, leaving a 1cm space without filling around the edges of the dough.

Roll the dough up into a tight roll and cut it down the centre with a sharp knife but leave about 3 cm uncut at the end, to keep the two pieces connected.

Twist the two threads about each other, while making sure the cuts are facing up. Shape it into a wreath and transfer to the baking tray. Brush the upper surface with egg yolk and sprinkle with light brown sugar.

Transfer to the centre of your pre-heated oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until cooked through and golden.