Cranberry-Orange Chelsea Tree Cake

• whole milk↗275ml ml
• butter↗50g g

  cut into cubes

• strong white bread flour↗450g g
• instant dry yeast packet7g g
• golden caster sugar↗50g g

  plus 3 tbsp

• ground cinnamon↗1 tsp tsp
• neutral oil

  for greasing

• marzipan↗200g g

  cooled

• orange↗1

  zest and juice

• fresh cranberries↗100g g
• dried cranberries↗100g g

  plus 1 tbsp

• pistachios↗40g g

  chopped

• edible gold spray↗

  (optional)

• apricot jam↗3 tbsp tbsp

  strained

• powdered sugar↗150g g

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Heat the milk in a saucepan until steaming, but do not bring to a boil. Remove from heat and add the butter, stirring until it melts, then set aside to cool slightly. Meanwhile, in a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, yeast, 50 g sugar, cinnamon and 1 tsp salt. When the milk is warm, add it to the dry ingredients and stir to form a sticky dough. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead for 10 mins by hand or 5 mins in a mixer until smooth and elastic. Return to a clean, oiled bowl, cover with oil‑film and let rise in a warm place for 1‑2 hrs until doubled in size.

2. 2

   Line the largest baking tray with parchment. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll into a rectangle about 30 × 40 cm. Grate marzipan onto the surface and sprinkle orange zest, fresh cranberries, 75 g dried cranberries, 25 g pistachios and 3 tbsp caster sugar. From one long side tightly roll the dough into a log, pinching the end to seal.

3. 3

   Using a large sharp knife, cut the dough log in half, then into quarters, then each quarter into three pieces, yielding 12 equal dough pieces. Place them seam‑side down and arrange on the tray in a tree shape, using one piece as the trunk and leaving space between buns to expand. Ensure the pinched seam of each bun faces the centre of the tree; otherwise it may open during baking. One bun will remain – bake it together (a gift for the cook!). Cover the tray with one‑two pieces of oil film and let rise 30‑40 mins until doubled and just touching each other.

4. 4

   Pre‑heat the oven to 180 °C/160 °C fan/ gas 4. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20‑22 mins until golden‑brown. While the buns bake, heat the apricot jam with 2 tsp water to a thin consistency, then set aside to cool slightly. Mix the icing sugar with enough orange juice to make a thick glaze and pipe into a small disposable pastry bag or plastic bag. Optionally spray pistachios with gold spray.

5. 5

   When the buns are done, let them cool 15 mins, then brush with apricot glaze. Trim the tip of the pastry bag and drizzle glaze over the buns in random lines. Sprinkle the remaining pistachios and dried cranberries and let the glaze set for 10 mins before serving. Store in an airtight container for up to three days.