| METHOD Dissolve the yeast with a little sugar in the warm milk. Wait until it
is activated and starts to bubble at the surface, then add 3 tablespoons flour
and mix well to make a batter. Cover it with a clean tea towel and keep in a
warm place for about 1 hour or until it rises. In the meantime, sift the rest of
the flour with the salt in a large bowl, add the melted butter, the 7 eggs, the
rest of the sugar, and the grated rinds. Add the risen yeast mixture to it, and
knead it in order to amalgamate all the ingredients like a bread dough. It
should be rather firm but elastic by now. Cover it again and put in a warm place
for about 1.5 hours, until it rises and doubles in size. Butter a large round
cake tin, about 26-28 cm, and line the bottom and sides with greaseproof paper,
which you should also butter to avoid sticking. When the mixture has doubled its
size, knead it again to break it down, keep a piece for decorating the top of
the cake, and pour the rest into the cake tin. Insert a coin. Make sure the
mixture only comes halfway up the sides, so that it has space to rise. Cover and
let it stand in a warm place until it again doubles in size. Brush its surface
with the beaten egg yolk and decorate, either by using the reserved dough to
write the numbers of the new year in the middle of the cake, or by making a few
rosettes, or by simply sprinkling the almonds and sesame all over. You could
make a few nominal cuts using scissors. Bake in a pre-heated oven, gas no. 4/
350 grades F/ 180 grades C, for about 1 hour until the top looks golden. Let it
cool and shrink slightly, then unmould and remove the greaseproof paper. |
Print this recipe
