Step by step method

1. Master Dough Recipe

2. 1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the bread flour, sugar, salt, and yeast.
3. 2. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs and warm milk together.
4. 3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, followed by the Stork Country Blend.
5. 4. Mix until a soft dough forms. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes, until smooth and elastic.
6. 5. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and leave to rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
7. 6. Once the dough has risen, punch it down. Now, it's ready for the variations below.

8. 1. Festive Bread Nest with Mini Eggs

9. 1. Roll out the pre-sectioned dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 40cm x 30cm.
10. 2. Spread a generous amount of chocolate spread over the dough.
11. 3. Starting from the long edge, roll the dough tightly into a log.
12. 4. Braid the strands together and shape into a circle on a lined baking tray, pinching the ends together.
13. 5. Cover and let the dough rise for 30 minutes.
14. 6. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
15. 7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
16. 8. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

17. 2. Sweet Buns with Cream Filling

18. 1. Divide the pre-sectioned dough into 12 equal pieces and shape each into a ball.
19. 2. Place the dough balls on a lined baking tray, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.
20. 3. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
21. 4. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until golden brown.
22. 5. Allow to cool completely.
23. 6. Make a small cut on the top of each bun.
24. 7. For the cream filling: Whip the whipping cream with the powdered sugar until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in the softened Stork Country Blend until fully combined. Pipe the cream into each bun through the cut opening.
25. 8. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

26. 3. Braided Cinnamon Pastry

27. 1. Roll out the pre-sectioned dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle about 30cm x 20cm.
28. 2. Spread a generous layer of softened Stork Country Blend over the dough, followed by the brown sugar and cinnamon mixture.
29. 3. Spread the mixture evenly over the dough.
30. 4. Roll up the dough from the long edge to form a log.
31. 5. Cut the log lengthwise, leaving one end intact, to create two long strands.
32. 6. Twist the two strands around each other, keeping the cut sides facing upward.
33. 7. Transfer the twisted dough to a lined baking tray, shape into a log, and tuck the ends underneath.
34. 8. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.
35. 9. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
36. 10. Brush with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
37. 11. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
38. 12. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

39. 4. Garlic Herb Pull-Apart Rolls

40. 1. Divide the pre-sectioned dough into 8 equal pieces and shape each into a ball.
41. 2. Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat.
42. 3. Arrange the dough balls in the skillet, leaving a small gap between each.
43. 4. Brush the dough balls with the melted Stork Country Blend, mixed with the minced garlic, chopped herbs, and salt.
44. 5. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes.
45. 6. Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
46. 7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown and cooked through.
47. 8. Brush the rolls with any remaining garlic herb mixture immediately after baking.
48. 9. Serve warm directly from the skillet.

49. Tips for Success:

50. Ensure your Stork Country Blend is at the correct temperature: room temperature for the dough, softened for spreads, and melted for brushing.
51. For a richer dough, you can increase the Stork Country Blend to 100g in the master dough recipe.
52. The dough can be made ahead and refrigerated overnight for the first rise, which will improve the flavour. Just let it come to room temperature before shaping.
53. All these recipes can be made in advance and frozen. Simply thaw at room temperature and warm slightly before serving.