Ingredients: 1 lb 2 oz (500 g) flour
2 Tbs (25 g) yeast
2½ Tbs (40 g) sugar
½ pint (250 ml)
lukewarm milk
1 pinch of salt
¼ cup (60 g) melted
lukewarm butter
1 egg
1 egg yolk
Almond slices
Preparation:
- Sieve the flour into a bowl and make a hollow in the middle.
- Stir the yeast with 1 tsp of sugar into 4 Tbs of milk, place in the hollow and mix a small amount of dough.
- Cover the bowl with a cloth and put to one side.
- When the small ball of dough starts to bubble, add the rest of the sugar as well as the salt, butter, and egg and pour in about half of the remaining milk.
- Stir the ingredients whilst adding the rest of the milk gradually, leaving 1 Tbs aside, to make a smooth, relatively firm dough.
- Cover again with a cloth and leave the dough to rise, until it has doubled in volume (after about 30 minutes).
- Preheat the oven to 400 ˚F (200 ˚C).
- Knead the dough again briefly and divide into 3 equal portions.
- Make 3 strips of dough each about 20 inches (50 cm) in length.
- Put the strips of dough next to each other on a work surface covered with flour and starting in the middle-first in one, then in the other direction-make a braid.
- Press the ends flat and fold them underneath the loaf.
- Put the bun on a greased baking-sheet and leave to rise for a further 10-15 minutes.
- Mix the egg yolk with the remaining 1 Tbs of milk and coat the bun.
- Sprinkle the bun with the almond slices and bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes.
- Decorate with extra icing to taste.