Step 1

Place sugar, yeast and 1 cup (250ml) lukewarm water in a bowl. Cover and stand for 10 minutes or until frothy. Stir through egg yolks, butter, nutmeg and 2 tsp salt flakes. Stir through flour, then turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place dough in a clean greased bowl, cover and stand in a warm place for 2 hours or until doubled in size.

Step 2

For the cinnamon butter, combine all ingredients in a bowl.

Step 3

Grease a large round pizza tray or baking tray and line with baking paper.

Step 4

Place dough on a work surface, divide into 8 even pieces and cover. Roll out 1 piece of dough at a time to a 3mm-thick rectangle. Spread with some cinnamon butter, then with some fig jam. With a long edge facing you, roll dough into a log and cut in half lengthways.

Step 5

Turn halves cut-side up and twist together, tucking 1 piece of fig into a twist. Fold the 2 ends of the resulting braid in and around themselves to form a ‘knot’. Repeat with remaining dough, cinnamon butter, fig jam and fig pieces, reserving 8 fig pieces. Arrange buns in a round 2cm apart on prepared tray, placing final bun in centre. Tuck reserved fig pieces in-between rolls. Brush with lightly beaten egg and scatter with extra sugar. Cover and stand in a warm place for 30 minutes to prove.

Step 6

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Bake bun, covering with foil halfway, for 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through. Brush with extra fig jam and serve with extra butter.