Ingredients:

100 g butter (1/2 cup)
100 g sugar (1/2 cup) + 2.5 grams (1 tsp)
2 eggs
12 g dry active yeast (not instant) (2 tsp)
175 mls warm water (2/3 cup)
175 mls warm milk (2/3 cup)
2.5 g mixed spice (1 tsp)
3 g grated lemon rind (1 tsp or rind of one large lemon)
2.5 g salt (1/2 tsp)
350 g bread flour (3.5 cups)
150 g dried apricots (1 cup)
400 g marzipan (1 cup)
60 mls cream (4 tablespoons)
10 g custard powder (2 tablespoons) – optional
125 g poppy seeds (1 cup)
2 big spoons of apricot jam for glazing
icing sugar for dusting

Method:

Before you start, just cover the apricots in warm water (or the alcohol of your choice) to soften them. 

1.  Whisk the yeast and the 2.5 (1 tsp) sugar into the warm water.  Let it rest for 10 minutes until it is frothy.
2.  Whilst you are waiting, scald the milk and add the salt and the mixed spice.  Let it cool.
3.  Add the frothy yeast mixture to 1 cup of the flour and mix well.  Let it sit for 20 minutes.
4.  While you are waiting, combine the butter, sugar, one whole egg, one egg white (save the yolk), the lemon rind, and the cooled milk and mix well.
5.  Once the 20 minutes is up and the dough has relaxed, risen a bit and smells nice and yeasty, add the remaining flour and all the ingredients from step 4.
6.  Knead this well until it is tacky but no longer super sticky, cover it with a tea towel and let it rise until it has double in volume (2 hours at room temperature or overnight in the fridge).
7.  Whilst you are waiting, drain the apricots.  Place the apricots, the marzipan, 3/4 of the poppy seeds, the cream and the custard powder (if  using) in a food processor and blend to get a smooth consistency.
8.  Punch the dough down and give it a little knead and then divide into three equal pieces (you may want to weigh them to make sure they are equal).  Roll each piece into long rectangles, each about 20 inches long (50 cm) and 4 inches (10 cm) wide.  Cut them all in half width wise so you now have 6 rectangles of dough.  Spoon 1/3 of the marzipan and apricot mixture in the centre and along the length of each rectangle.  Fold 1/3 of the length of each rectangle to cover the filling and then the other 1/3 of the length of each rectangle to encase the filling.  You now have 6 filled ropes – enough to make 2 braided loaves.
9.  Braid the ropes so that you have two lovely braided loaves.
10.  Place the loaves on a cookie tray that is lined with baking parchment and cover them with a tea towel.  Allow them to rise for one hour – again they should double in volume.
11.  Mix a little spoon of water with the remaining egg yolk and brush this over the loaves and scatter the remaining poppy seeds over the loaves.
12.  Bake in a pre heated 180 C (350 F) for 30 minutes, until golden.
13.  Brush with the jam while they are still warm.
14.  Dust with the icing sugar when they are cool.

Eat.  Yum.