SPLIT CAKE (SPLIT POTICA - POTICA WREATH)

INGREDIENTS and INSTRUCTIONS:

YEAST DOUGH:
500 g all purpose flour
280 - 300 ml of lukewarm milk
7 g of dry yeast or 20 g of fresh yeast
1 teaspoon salt
50 g sugar
60 g butter
1 tablespoon rum
2 egg yolks

FILLING:
6 tablespoons of Apricot Jam
3 tablespoons of Rum
100 g of Thermostabile Chocolate drops
50 g of ground almonds

COATING:
30 g of melted butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

YEAST DOUGH:
Knead a pliable dough from the listed ingredients.
Heat the milk to make it lukewarm.
Dissolve the yeast in 50 ml of lukewarm milk with 1 teaspoon of sugar.
Heat the butter (do not melt it).
Put the flour in a bowl. Make a hole in the middle, where you pour the fermented yeast and milk. Mix with a portion of the flour into a thick paste.
Add salt (be careful not to get in contact with the yeast mixture), sugar and egg yolk on the flour along the edge of the bowl. Mix with electric mixer, then add rum and butter. Knead until the dough is completely smooth.

When making yeast dough, the kneaded dough has to have some rise time. During rising, the yeast ferments (eats) the sugar and develops the dough. Rising also improves the flavor and texture of the dough.
After kneading, round your dough into a ball. Place the dough ball in a lightly oiled, large mixing bowl. The dough should be turned over to oil the top so that it doesn’t dry out. Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap, foil, or a towel. Let the dough rise in a warm, draft-free location. Ideal rise temperatures are between 80°F – 90°F; higher temperatures may kill the yeast and keep the dough from rising; lower temperatures will slow the yeast activity which will increase your rise time.

ASSEMBLING:
1. Roll the dough into a 3 mm – thick rectangle.
2. Spread a generous amount of Apricot jam on it, followed by some ground almonds and thermostabile
chocolate drops.
3. Roll the dough tight along the longer side. Keep it seam-side down.
4. Take a sharp knife and dust its blade with flour. Then cut the roll vertically, leaving about 5 cm – 2
inches intact at the top. Plait the two ropes leaving the cut part towards the top, so it will be visible
later on. Warning: this can get messy, but the end result is so much worth it!
5. When the plaiting is done, join the two ends, giving the cake a circular shape.
6. Put it on a baking tray covered with baking paper and let it proof for 15 minutes.
7. Melt some butter and brush it on top of the cake.
8. Bake it in a pre-heated static oven at 180°C – 355°F for 30-40 minutes.