Nutella Braided Tear and Share Bread

In a big bowl, add the water, sugar and yeast together. Whisk it all together and let it sit for about 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, add the milk and salt and half the flour, whisk it well until everything is incorporated. Add the butter and continue to whisk while adding the remaining flour.

Turn the dough over on a floured surface and knead it a few times. Then place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover it with a clean towel. Let it sit and double in size for 1 to 2 hours in a warm place. Once the dough has risen, remove it from the bowl and place it on a work surface. Knead it gently to knock the air out.

Form the dough into flat oblong and roll it up to form a sausage shape. Now cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Take one piece of dough and roll it into a ball. Dust the counter with a little flour and using a rolling pin to roll the dough out to form a 25 cm or 10 inch circle.

Place a piece of waxed paper on a baking tray and slide the dough onto it. Mark a circle on the dough. Place the Nutella into a small bowl or ramekin and warm it in the microwave for about 30 seconds. This will make it easier to spread onto the dough. With the help of a knife, evenly spread some of the Nutella onto the circle of the dough, try to cover as much of the circle as possible.

Take the second piece of the dough and roll it out to form another 25 cm or 10 inch circle. Once it is the right size gently lift it onto the first circle (which is covered with Nutella). Use the plate again to make the circle impression and spread it with Nutella. Repeat this process with the third piece of the dough.

For the last piece of the dough, roll it out to the correct size and lift it onto the other layers but don't spread this layer with Nutella. Take the dinner plate once again, lay it on top of the doughs. Then use a sharp knife to cut through all the layers to form a perfect circle of layered dough. Discard the excess dough.

Take a small drinking glass and place that in the centre of the dough as a guide. Use a sharp knife and cut it through the dough from the edge of the glass to the edge of the dough at 3'o clock, 6'o clock, 9'o clock, and 12'o clock. (So from the centre of the dough out to the edge)

Divide each quarter into half and then in half again so you have 16 cut sections in total. Now take hold of one piece of dough and twist it twice around in the same direction, then lay it down on the paper. Take the piece next to it and twist it twice around in the opposite direction and lay it down.

You can take two pieces at the same time and twist them in opposite directions to each other. To finish each petal off, lift the ends of the twisted bread and pinch them together tightly. Work around the dough until all 16 pieces have been twisted and you have 8 twisted and pinched petals.

Cover the dough with a damp cloth and leave it for 20 minutes or so to allow the dough to rise once again. Once the bread has risen, take the milk that you kept aside and with the help of a brush, gently brush it over the surface of the dough.

Preheat the oven to 180 C/ 350 F and bake the bread for 15- 20 minutes until it's golden brown in colour. Allow your bread to cool slightly and it is ready to be served. Just pop it on a plate and let everyone pull it apart.