You will need approx. 3 hours to make the Cardamom Babka Wreath

For the Dough

1. Measure the flour, sugar, salt, yeast and cardamom into the bowl of an electric stand mixer.
2. Lightly mix the ingredients together using the dough hook.
3. Add the egg to the bowl.
4. Slowly pour in the warm milk, and continue mixing until everything comes together into a rough dough.
5. Add the butter, one tablespoon at a time. Once the butter has been fully incorporated into the dough, add the next tablespoon of butter.
6. Once all of the butter has been added, continue kneading the dough on medium speed for about 15 to 20 minutes.
7. The dough is ready when it is soft and smooth, and no longer sticks to the side of the bowl. The dough will be somewhat sticky from the butter and egg.

For the First Proofing Session

1. Lightly oil a large mixing bowl.
2. Place the dough inside the bowl.
3. Cover the dough with a clean tea towel, plastic wrap, or a reusable bowl cover.
4. Leave the dough somewhere warm for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size (see Kitchen Notes below).

For the Cardamom-Sugar Filling

1. Just before the dough is ready, make the filling by beating together the ingredients.

To Shape the Cardamom Babka Wreath

1. Once the dough has doubled in size, gently remove the dough from the bowl. The dough will deflate as you handle it.
2. Roll out the dough into a rectangle shape measuring approximately 50 x 30 cm/20 x 12 inches.
3. Use a small palette knife to evenly spread the filling all over the dough.
4. Roll up the dough tightly from the long end, i.e. to produce a log that is 50 cm/20 inches long.
5. Pinch the edges together to seal the dough.
6. Lay the dough with the seal facing down.
7. Use a sharp knife to cut the dough in half, revealing all of the layers inside.
8. Arrange one half of the dough on top of the other in the shape of an X.
9. Start twisting the strands of dough. I find it easier to first twist the dough from below the centre, and to finish twisting above the centre.
10. Once the two strands of dough are twisted, carefully remove it to a large baking pan lined with baking paper. 
11. As you do so, bring the ends of the dough together to form the wreath as you place the dough on the baking pan.
12. Carefully arrange the dough as necessary to form a nice wreath shape, making sure that you leave a large hole in the centre. The dough will rise and increase in shape as it bakes, so you want to avoid the dough filling the hole completely.
13. Also make sure that all strands of dough are tightly secured, especially the end pieces. I like to use toothpicks to firmly secure the ends to the wreath, and to minimise the risk of the wreath unravelling as it bakes.

For the Second Proofing Session

1. Leave the shaped wreath somewhere warm to proof and puff up approximately 1/4 in size. Make sure it is not too warm, otherwise the butter in the filling might melt.

To Bake the Cardamom Babka Wreath

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/390°F (without fan) with a metal baking tray on the middle shelf.
2. Lightly brush the wreath all over with egg wash.
3. Mix together the sugar and cardamom, and sprinkle over the wreath. 
4. Sprinkle pearl sugar generously over the wreath as well.
5. Place the baking pan on the preheated baking tray.
6. Bake for 10 minutes. 
7. Reduce the heat to 180°C/356°F and bake for another 20-25 minutes, or until the wreath is lightly golden. Check the wreath at about 10-15 minutes, and if it is browning too quickly, cover it with a loose sheet of foil for the rest of the baking time.
8. The wreath is cooked if an internal thermometer reads 85°C/185°F.
9. Place the baking pan on a wire rack, and leave the wreath to cool completely.
10. Some of the butter from the filling will melt and pool around the wreath during baking, and this is normal. As it cools, this sugary-butter mixture will harden and caramelise. You can break it off before it has set completely.