Snowflake Shaped Cherry Bun

In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, sugar, and dry yeast. Stir gently until the sugar dissolves, then let the mixture rest for 10 minutes until it becomes foamy, indicating the yeast is active.

Add the room temperature egg and the melted (but not hot) butter to the yeast mixture. Mix everything well with a whisk until all the wet ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Gradually add the flour to the wet mixture in two separate batches, mixing well after each addition until most of the flour is incorporated and a shaggy dough forms.

Transfer the sticky dough to a lightly floured surface and knead it by hand for about 5-7 minutes. Continue kneading until the dough becomes smooth, elastic, and less sticky.

Place the kneaded dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel, and let it proof in a warm place for 1 hour, or until it has doubled in size.

Once the dough has proofed, gently punch it down to release the air. Divide the dough into four equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a thin, round circle, approximately 10-12 inches (25-30 cm) in diameter.

Place one rolled dough circle on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Spread a generous layer of cherry jam over it, leaving about a 1/2-inch border. Place a second dough circle on top and spread with jam. Repeat with the third layer of dough and jam. Finally, place the fourth dough circle on top without any jam.

Place a small glass or round cookie cutter (about 2-3 inches in diameter) in the very center of the top dough layer. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough from the edge of the glass outwards into 16-20 even strips, making sure not to cut through the center circle defined by the glass.

Take two adjacent strips and gently twist them away from each other twice. Pinch the ends of these two twisted strips together firmly to form a point. Repeat this process around the entire circle until all strips are twisted and connected, creating the snowflake effect.

If desired, cover the shaped bun loosely with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rest for a second proofing for 15-20 minutes while you preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).

Bake the cherry bun in the preheated oven for 25-35 minutes, or until it is golden brown on top and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 200-210°F (93-99°C).

Remove the snowflake bun from the oven and let it cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool slightly further before serving.