Preheat oven to 400°F / 200°C Fan / 180°C / Gas Mark 6

Make the bread dough:

• Warm the buttermilk (or milk and yoghurt mixture) for 1 minute in a microwave on full power. The liquid temperature needs to be tepid to warm so as to encourage the yeast to start working – too much heat will kill the yeast. Gently warm liquid in a saucepan if you don’t have a microwave.

If mixing and kneading your dough by hand:

• Combine all the dough ingredients in a large bowl, stirring them together until they form a ball.
• Knead by hand for 10 to 12 minutes.

If mixing and kneading your dough using a freestanding mixer fitted with a dough hook:

• Add the dough ingredients into your mixer bowl.
• Mix on slow speed number 1 for approximately 1 to 2 minutes then on speed number 2 for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Your dough should be lovely and smooth and elastic.
• Place your dough in a large greased mixing bowl and cover.
• Leave to rest in a warm place for at least one and a half hours or until doubled in size.
• Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and divide into 22 portions of approximately 55g to 60g each.
• Shape 21 portions into balls and the last piece into an oblong for the tree trunk.
• Place the dough balls onto the baking tray in the shape of the Christmas tree – see photos – with 6 dough balls on the first row and the tree trunk underneath at the centre.
• Continue with 5 dough balls on the second and so on until you have a single dough ball at the top.
• Leave no more than 2.5 cm (1 inch) between each dough ball and when risen they will touch each other, which maintains the Christmas tree shape.
• Cover and leave to rise for about 45 minutes or until well risen.
• Bake in the oven the 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown.

Make your icing:

• Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, add 2 tablespoons of boiling water and mix. You want the icing to be quite thick and not too runny so you can get the snow effect.
• You may need to add a touch more water but add a drop at a time.
• Let your bread cool for about 10 minutes (it still wants to be warm) before you add the icing.
• Prop up your cooling rack on one end so that the icing can drip a little.
• Place about a teaspoonful of icing on the top of each bread ball and spread it to cover the tops.
• Place the cherries on your Christmas tree bread and leave to set.