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1
First you need to make your sponge.
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2
In a mixing bowl, put 50g flour, your granulated sugar, the yeast and 30ml of milk.
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3
Mix together well, using a wooden spoon.
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4
Cover with cling film or a clean tea towel and leave to ferment at room temperature for one hour.
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5
Next prepare the rest of the dough.
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6
In a bowl, lightly beat your eggs together and then add the lemon and orange zest, melted butter, orange juice and the remainder of the milk (40ml).
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7
Then add the caster sugar along with your sponge and 400g flour.
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8
You can use a food processor to make the dough, just set it for 15min, or you can knead it by hand.
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9
Your dough should be elastic, smooth and shiny as well as a bit sticky.
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10
Have your 50g of additional flour to hand in case you need to add more to help with the consistency.
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11
Grease a large bowl with some olive oil and then form your dough into a ball and place inside.
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12
Cover with a tea towel or oiled cling film and leave it to rise.
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13
You can now do one of two things.
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Leave it in a warm place until it doubles in size (about 2 hours depending on the room temperature).
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15
Or if you want to leave the rest of the cake making until the following day you can put it in the fridge overnight.
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16
Just be sure to remove the dough from the fridge at least 2 hours before you want to work with it so that it can come back to room temperature.
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17
Once the dough has doubled in size, knock it back and then place it on a floured work surface or chopping board.
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18
Depending on the size of your oven, if you have a small one, it might be worth splitting your dough into two at this stage and making two smaller roscons as opposed to one big one.
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19
Now, cut your dough into between 12-16 pieces if you are doing one or 6-8 pieces if you are doing two.
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20
Roll each piece into a small ball.
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21
The number of pieces will depend on the size of your cake tin.
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22
For example, for a 20 cm diameter cake pan, we used 6 dough balls.
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23
Place your dough balls around the side of your cake tin, forming a ring with a hole in the middle, whilst ensuring that you leave some space between each of them to allow them to rise (about 2 cm).
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24
Make sure your hole in the centre is big enough or it will close up during rising and baking.
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25
Cover your cake tin with a damp cloth and put to one side until the dough rounds have doubled their size (approximately 2 hours).
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26
Preheat your oven to 180C ten to fifteen minutes before the rising process is complete.
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27
Place your cake in your preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes.
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28
Be sure to keep an eye on it though as it can continue to rise in the oven.
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29
Remove and set your roscon to one side to cool.
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30
Whilst youre waiting for it to cool you can prepare the filling and the topping.
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31
For the filling, first chop 50g of your cranberries.
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32
Then beat the cream until it thickens and holds shape and add 50g icing sugar together with the chopped cranberries.
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33
For the topping, mix together the cream cheese and remaining icing sugar until smooth.
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34
When your roscon is cool, remove from the cake tin and cut it horizontally through the middle so that you have two halves.
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35
Add your filling to one of your halves, evenly around the ring, and then reassemble the two halves.
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36
Top with your cream cheese mixture, flaked almonds and dried cranberries.
