Ingredients
Method
1.Combine yeast, caster sugar and milk in a large bowl. Cover; stand in a warm place for 10 minutes or until frothy. Add egg yolks, 100g of the butter, the water, flour and salt; stir until combined. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface; knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a lightly oiled large bowl; cover, stand in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
2.Process three-quarters of the almonds for 1 minute or until ground finely. Transfer to a small bowl; stir in brown sugar, mixed spice, remaining 100g melted butter and the zests to form a paste.
3.Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fanbake). Grease a large oven tray.
4.Lightly flour a large piece of baking paper; roll dough out on paper into a 25cm x 45cm rectangle.
5.Spread almond paste mixture on dough, leaving a 1cm border. Firmly roll dough up from one long side, using the baking paper as a guide. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll in half lengthways. Turn the halves so the cut-sides face out on the baking paper, then twist the two lengths together. Form the twisted length into a ring, pressing the two ends together to join.
6.Transfer the ring, carefully lifting it with the baking paper, onto the oven tray. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with the remaining halved almonds.
7.Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 180°C (160°C fanbake); bake for a further 35 minutes or until golden and twist sounds hollow when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
8.Serve twist with marmalade.
• Twist can be made a day ahead. Reheat, covered, in a 170°C oven for 15 minutes. • You can swap the almonds for roasted hazelnuts, and the marmalade for fig jam. • If it’s hot in the kitchen, once you’ve rolled the dough up at the start of step 5, refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm slightly before cutting lengthways, then twisting and doing the final shaping.
Note
