Iced Tea Ring Recipe

150 ml/¼ pt warm milk

2.5 ml/½ teaspoon dried yeast

25 g/1 oz/2 tablespoons caster (superfine) sugar

25 g/1 oz/2 tablepsoons butter or margarine

225 g/8 oz/2 cups strong plain (bread) flour

1 egg, beaten

For the filling:

50 g/2 oz/¼ cup butter or margarine, softened

50 g/2 oz/¼ cup ground almonds

50 g/2 oz/¼ cup soft brown sugar

For the topping:

100 g/4 oz icing (confectioners') sugar, sifted

15 ml/1 tablespoon warm water

30 ml/2 tablespoons flaked (slivered) almonds

Method:

Pour the milk on to the yeast and sugar and mix together. Leave in a warm place until frothy. Rub the butter or margarine into the flour. Stir in the yeast mixture and the egg and beat well. Cover the bowl with oiled clingfilm (plastic wrap) and leave in a warm place for 1 hour. Knead again, then shape into a rectangle about 30 x 23 cm/12 x 9 in. Spread the butter or margarine for the filling over the dough and sprinkle with ground almonds and sugar. Roll up into a long sausage and shape into a ring, sealing the edges with a little water. Snip two-thirds of the way through the roll at about 3 cm/1½ in intervals and place on a greased baking (cookie) sheet. Leave in a warm place for 20 minutes. Bake in a preheated oven at 200ºC/425ºF/gas 7 for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 for a further 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, blend together the icing sugar and water to make a glace icing. When cool, spread over the cake and decorate with flaked almonds.