Serves: 6-8
Preparation: 20 minutes, plus rising 60 minutes
Cooking: 25-30 minutes

INGREDIENTS
7g fast acting dried yeast
55g golden caster sugar
200g gram flour
200g gluten-free bread flour, plus more for kneading
½ tsp salt
55g salted butter
1 large egg, beaten
120ml milk, lukewarm

For the filling:
60g plain dark chocolate, finely chopped or grated
60g pecan nuts, roughly chopped
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Milk to glaze
1-2 tbsp icing sugar

METHOD

Heat oven to 200°C.

Mix the yeast with the lukewarm milk to activate it.

Sift the flours and salt into a food processor with a dough hook or do this by hand. Rub in the butter then add the sugar.

Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the yeast mixture, together with the beaten egg.

Mix to a dough — the mixture will be quite dense. Add more milk if it feels too dry or flour, if too wet.

Tip onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth. Place in a clean bowl, cover and leave in a warm, draught-free place to rise for an hour, but it will only rise a little. Line a 2lb loaf tin with parchment.

Tip the risen dough onto a lightly floured surface. Flatten it with your hands like a large pizza.

Sprinkle the dough with a tablespoon of caster sugar and cinnamon and ¾ of the chocolate and nuts. Roll into a tight log. Trim the top and bottom edges.

Halve the roll lengthways down the middle, leaving a section at the top joined. The filling will be exposed. Carefully fold over the two dough lengths to create a twist.

Press the ends together, then carefully lift the twisted loaf into the tin.

Gently glaze with milk, sprinkle with the remaining chocolate and pecans and bake for 25-30 minutes.

Cool for 10 minutes in the tin then transfer to a wire rack.

In a small bowl mix the icing sugar with ½ a teaspoon of cold water, then drizzle over the cake.

For information on hosting a tea during December as part of Chana's charity Tea-cember visit: www.chana.org.uk