Danish brown sugar cake (Brunsviger)

1. Warm the milk until lukewarm, crumble in the yeast and add the sugar; melt 50 g of the butter.

2. In a bowl, mix the flour with the salt, add the yeast milk, the egg and the melted butter and knead for 8-10 minutes into a smooth, soft dough; cover and leave to rise for 45 minutes.

3. Press the dough into a baking tin of about 25×35 cm lined with baking paper, cover and leave to rise for another 20 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, melt the remaining 200 g butter with the brown sugar and syrup in a pan over low heat and stir until it becomes a smooth caramel sauce.

5. Press deep holes into the dough with your fingers and pour the caramel sauce evenly over it so it fills the hollows.

6. Bake in an oven preheated to 200 °C for 15-20 minutes until the top is bubbling and caramelised; serve lukewarm, cut into squares.

Tip: Brunsviger is a favourite at Danish birthdays and school outings, and on the island of Funen it's almost a national treasure. The finger holes are the key: the caramel collecting in them bakes into thick, sticky pools, while the dough stays soft underneath. If you don't have light syrup, you can make it with a spoonful of honey.