Ingredients

Step by step

1. Melt the butter in a small pan then remove from the heat and stir in the milk – it should then feel just slightly warm.
2. Put the bread flour in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer and stir in the yeast, cardamom, salt and sugar. Make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg and the milk mixture. Gradually mix to give a soft dough, then knead for 5 minutes on a low speed if using a stand mixer, or for 10 minutes by hand on a lightly floured surface.
3. When the dough is smooth and springy, turn it in a little oil in the bowl to coat, then cover and leave to rise for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
4. Meanwhile, for the filling, cream together the butter, sugar, flour, vanilla and a pinch of salt. Set aside at room temperature. In another bowl, combine the chocolate, cranberries and pistachios, keeping back a few chopped cranberries and pistachios for decoration.
5. Knock the dough back, then knead briefly for a minute or so on a floured surface before rolling out to roughly a 30cm x 40cm rectangle.
6. Spread the vanilla butter over the dough, leaving a 2cm border all round. Scatter on the choc-berry-nut mix evenly. Roll up tightly like a Swiss roll, working from a long edge, and pinch the seam firmly.
7. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll in half all along the length. Twist each piece in a loose spiral to expose the filling. Join the 2 rolls at the ends, shaping them into a circular wreath on a large lined baking tray. Cover and leave to rise for 30 minutes if you’re then going to chill the wreath overnight, or 45 minutes if baking straightaway – it should be risen and feel soft and pillowy to the touch.
8. If chilling, pop in the fridge after the initial rising time and leave overnight. Next morning, preheat the oven to 120°C, fan 100°C, gas 1⁄2. Put the covered wreath in the just-warm oven, then turn the oven off. Leave for 30 minutes to take the chill off the dough, then remove from the oven and leave it at room temperature while you turn the oven back on and preheat to 180°C, fan 160°C, gas 4. If baking directly after proving for 45 minutes, preheat the oven towards the end of that time.
9. Brush the dough (but not the filling) with beaten egg. Bake for 25-30 minutes until risen, golden brown, and cooked through, covering after 20 minutes if it is looking too brown. Cool on the tray for 30 minutes; transfer to a serving board. Mix the icing sugar with about 11⁄2 tablespoons water to make a thick glacé icing. Drizzle over the wreath; scatter with the reserved cranberries and pistachios. Eat slightly warm, or cooled.