Preparation
Start by preparing the almond paste, so it can rest before use. Grind almonds and sugar in a food processor.
Separate the egg, add the egg whites and process until you obtain a smooth almond paste. Knead the almond paste and leave to rest in a cool place.
Start your dough by heating the milk to lukewarm, add yeast, (if using dry yeast, add a teaspoon of sugar) and stir well. Add the egg and stir again.
Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon and flour together, add to the milk-yeast mixture and combine it well. Now add the soft butter slowly, a little at a time, kneading after each addition.
Mix together well and then with your hands knead into an elastic dough, or – if using a machine – let it run for about 5 minutes. Shape into a ball, sprinkle with flour and let rise, covered with a clean tea towel, for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.
Chop the almonds roughly and mix with raisins, currants and candied fruit. Now knead the mixture into the dough.
Let rise again covered with a clean tea towel for about 30 minutes.
While the dough is rising, shape the almond paste into sausage-like shapes the length of the dough. Press lightly on the top, so the paste rolls are more oval than round.
Now roll out the bread dough into an oval shape.
Place the marzipan roll on top of the dough, roughly in the centre, so that the dough can fully cover the marzipan when you fold the dough over the almond paste, into half-moon shaped bread.
Place the bread on a baking tray lined with parchment baking paper. Leave to rest again for 30 minutes, covered by a clean tea towel.
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas mark 4.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, then take it out of the oven and place on a wire rack. Brush the bread with soft butter and let it cool down. When cool, dust with icing sugar.
Slice the bread and spread butter on each slice to serve.
TIP
1. Leave the butter at room temperature for two hours before using it for easy kneading.
2. Brush the bread with softened butter straight out of the oven for lovely taste and shine.
3. Let your bread cool for 20-30 minutes before cutting it. The bread keeps baking in the afterheat. The loaf will still be warm and the butter will melt deliciously when spread on top.
