Sweet bread with plums

To prepare the dough: Begin by pouring the milk into a pot and bringing it to a boil. Remove the pot from the stove and stir in the sugar, salt and melted butter. Allow the milk mixture to cool until it reaches a lukewarm temperature.

Dissolve the yeast in the lukewarm water and leave to proof until it begins to foam. Stir the yeasted water and the now lukewarm milk mixture together. Whisk the eggs in a small bowl before mixing them into the liquid ingredients.
Now add half of the flour to the liquid ingredients and using the dough hooks of an electric mixer mix well. Gradually stir in the rest of the flour and knead until a smooth dough forms (the dough should remain a little sticky and not be too dry). Knead the dough on a well-floured surface for ca. 8-10 minutes.

Place the dough in a large greased bowl. Cover the bowl with cling film and leave it to rise in a warm place for ca. 60 minutes, or until the volume as doubled.

In the meantime, prepare the pudding and the plum compote.

For the pudding: Mix 5 tablespoons of the milk with the pudding powder and sugar. Bring the rest of the milk to a boil. Now stir the pudding powder mix into the milk, and while stirring constantly allow to a boil and thicken. Now transfer the pudding into a bowl, and in order to stop a skin from forming place cling film directly onto the surface. Allow the pudding to cool.

For the plum compote: Wash the plums and remove the stones before slicing the fruit into small chunks. Place the chopped plums, vanilla sugar, sugar, cinnamon and 2 tablespoons of water into a pot, and simmer until the plums become soft and resemble a purée. Mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and stir it into the plums. Allow the plum mixture to simmer for ca. 1 minute or until it appears thicker. Transfer the plum compote into a bowl and cool.

Punch down the dough before tipping it out onto a well-floured surface and rolling it into a rectangle (ca. 25x40cm). Now carefully transfer the dough onto a piece of parchment paper. With the side of your hand, lightly press two lines down the dough lengthwise, dividing it into three equally sized columns.

Braiding the dough:

Spread the center column with the pudding and then spread the plum compote on top. Make sure to leave a 3cm edge free at the top and bottom of the column. Cut the other two columns crosswise into strips (ca. 2cm) making sure you have an equal amount of strips on both sides. Cut and remove the four corners.

Now fold the top and bottom flaps over the filling. Starting at the top, gently fold the top strip diagonally over the filling. Repeat on the opposite side, and continue alternating sides down the entire braid. Tuck the last two strips underneath the braid.

Carefully transfer the filled braid along with the parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Cover the braid with cling film and leave to rise for ca. 45 minutes.

Preheat the oven (electric 180°C / circulated air 160°C). Whisk the egg yolk before using it to lightly coat the braid. Bake the braid for ca. 25 minutes or until it is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Remove the bread braid from the oven and cool on a kitchen rack.

Now enjoy all your hard work with a delicious slice...or two!