EASTER WREATH BREAD

Serves 8 l 500g packet of white bread

mix l 2tsp ground cardamom l 50g (1¾oz) salted butter,

melted l 50g (1¾oz) golden caster

sugar l 1tbsp vanilla bean paste l 200ml (7fl oz) warm

semi-skimmed milk l 1 medium egg, beaten l 70g (2½oz) white chocolate,

broken into pieces l 1tbsp coloured vermicelli l 5 pastel coloured hardboiled eggs (optional, see tip across bottom of the page)

Tip the white bread mix into a large bowl and stir in the ground cardamom. In a measuring jug whisk together the melted butter, caster sugar, vanilla bean paste, milk and egg. Stirring, add enough of the milk mixture to the flour mix to make a soft dough. (You may not need to add all the milk mixture, depending on the bread mix you buy).

Knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface for 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place in a clean bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place for 1 hour, until doubled in size.

Lightly flour a work surface and turn out the dough. Knead for 2-3 minutes, until smooth, then cut in half and shape each half into a 90cm sausage shape. Twist the two sausages of dough to look like twisted rope. Form into a circle and pinch the ends tightly together to seal. Lift onto a baking tray lined with baking paper, reshaping to a circle if necessary. Cover loosely and leave in a warm place for 15 minutes to prove again.

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ fan 180°C/gas 6. Arrange the coloured hard-boiled eggs equally spaced apart on the bread, pushing them down into the dough. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden and risen and it sounds hollow when tapped underneath. Allow to cool.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl set over a pan of simmering water and then drizzle randomly over the loaf. Scatter with the coloured vermicelli and leave to set. Serve in slices with butter. (DO NOT eat the eggs, they are only for decoration – however they can be replaced with chocolate eggs after the bread is baked if you prefer).