Apricot Couronne

Draw an 11 inch circle onto a piece of baking parchment. Turn it over and place on a baking tray.
Make the filling – Beat the dairy-free margarine and muscovado sugar together until smooth. Drain the apricots and add to the margarine mixture along with the gluten-free flour, raisins, walnuts and orange zest. Mix to combine.

For the dough – Weigh the gluten free flour, ground almonds, cornflour, xanthan gum, salt, caster sugar and yeast in a large bowl. Place the yeast on the opposite side of the bowl to the salt and sugar as they can make the yeast inactive. Stir together.

Weigh the dairy-free margarine and melt in the microwave. Measure the plant-based milk.
Pour the margarine and plant-based milk into the flour and beat until smooth. The mixture should just be able to fall from the spoon.

Place the dough into a large piping bag without a nozzle and the apricot mixture into another piping bag.
Pipe a line of dough to look like it is forming a twist. Follow with a line of the apricot mixture. Continue to form a ring.
Leave to rise for 20 – 30 minutes.

10 minutes before baking, preheat the oven to 220°c / 200°c fan oven / gas mark 7.Bake for 30 minutes until golden brown. Tap the bottom. It is cooked if it sounds hollow.
Place the apricot jam into a small saucepan with a little water. Stir to the boil then brush over the bread.
Mix the icing sugar with a drop of water, drizzle over the bread and scatter toasted flaked almonds on top.