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Dark Chocolate and Hazelnut Wreath with Spiced Cherries

For the wreath:
 3 tsp dried yeast (10g)
 ¼ cup CSR Caster Sugar (55g)
 ½ cup milk, warmed (125ml)
 2 egg yolks
 100 g unsalted butter, melted
 3 ⅓ cups White Wings Plain Flour, plus extra to dust (500g)
 ½ cup roasted peeled hazelnuts, plus extra chopped to serve (70g)
 70 g dark chocolate, chopped
 80 g unsalted butter, softened
 ½ cup CSR Demerara Sugar (110g)
 1 tbsp finely grated orange rind
 1 tsp mixed spice
 icing sugar and double cream
For the poached cherries:
 300 g fresh pitted cherries
 165 g CSR Caster Sugar
 Zest and juice of 1 orange
 Zest and juice of ½ lemon
1

For spiced cherries, stir cherries, sugar, citrus rind and juices in a medium saucepan until sugar dissolves. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; refrigerate to chill.

2

Combine yeast, half caster sugar and milk in a large bowl. Stand in a warm place for 10 minutes. Add egg yolks, butter, ¾ cup warm water, flour, ½ tsp salt and remaining sugar. Stir until combined. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

3

Roll dough out on a lightly floured baking paper to a 45cm x 25cm rectangle and place it on a prepared tray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour to firm.

4

Preheat oven to 200C. Grease a large, flat oven tray. Process hazelnut and chocolate in a food processor until finely chopped.

5

Combine butter, 1/3 cup demerara sugar, orange rind and mixed spice in a small bowl. Spread butter over dough, leaving a 1cm border. Top with choc-hazelnut mixture and gently press into butter. Firmly roll dough up from one long side, using baking paper as a guide. Trim ends, then cut dough in half lengthwise. Turn halves, cut-side down on baking paper, then twist together. Form twisted lengths into a ring, pressing the two ends together to join.

6

Transfer ring carefully onto oven tray. Brush with egg wash and scatter with extra Demerara sugar. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce oven to 180C, bake for a further 30 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

7

Serve dusted with icing sugar and top with extra chopped hazelnuts, spiced cherries and double cream