Ingredients

500 g strong white bread flour 

10 g fine sea salt

30 g caster sugar

7 g dried yeast

50 g milk (gently warmed to blood temperature)

5 medium-size eggs

200 g unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature

1/2 jar mincemeat

2 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp caster sugar

Mixed spice peel

1 egg (for egg wash)

 Method

1. Put the yeast in the warm milk with a pinch of the measured sugar and leave for a few minutes until it froths.

2. Put the flour, salt, and rest of the sugar in the bowl of a food mixer and combine. Add the yeasted milk and eggs, and mix on a medium speed for 5 minutes until the dough becomes smooth and elastic and forms a ball. Slowly add the butter, a piece at a time, allowing it to be incorporated before adding more. Continue until all the butter has been mixed in.

3. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and leave to rise for a couple of hours. Divide into three (about 350 g each) and shape into balls, place in a large lightly oiled container, cover and leave in the fridge overnight (you can freeze the dough at this stage).

4. The next day, place the dough on a lightly floured clean surface. Roll each one into a circle (larger than a dinner plate).

5. Beat together the butter, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Spread the mix over one circle of dough, cover with the second circle and spread a thin layer of the mincemeat on top. Top with the third circle. If necessary, cut the layers of dough into a perfect circle using a dinner plate as a template. Remove the plate and place a small cup in the centre, press gently to make an indent and remove. Make a cut through the dough from the top to the indent, from the bottom to the indent, and from the sides to the indent. Cut each section into two, then into a further two (making 16 sections). Take two sections (next to each other) and fold outwards twice or three times, then squeeze the ends together. Repeat for the remaining sections.

6. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas mark 4.

7. Brush with the egg wash and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden, then remove and place on a rack to cool. Dust with a little icing sugar.