1. Warm the milk. It should be warm, not hot. 2. Dissolve the yeast in the warm milk. 3. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar and 2 tablespoons of sifted flour to the milk with yeast. Whisk to combine. Cover the bowl with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let the sponge rise in a warm place for 20–30 minutes. 4. Separate 2 eggs into yolks and whites. 5. Add 2 tablespoons of milk to the yolks. Mix. Cover and set aside — this is the egg–milk wash for brushing the pies. 6. In a large bowl (or stand mixer bowl), combine the sponge, 1 whole egg, the 2 egg whites, the remaining sugar, salt, and 30 ml of vegetable oil. Gradually add the flour and knead until you get an elastic dough. (If kneading by hand, knead for about 10 minutes after all the flour is added.) 7. Knead the soft butter pieces into the dough. 8. Shape the dough into a ball, grease it lightly with vegetable oil, and place it into a large greased bowl. Cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let rise for at least 1 hour, preferably 1.5 hours. 9. Mix 60 g sugar with 10 g cinnamon. 10. Divide the dough into 2 equal parts, then divide each part into 3 pieces. Roll each piece into a ball — you’ll have 6 balls total. Keep them covered so they don’t dry out. Each pie uses 3 dough balls. 11. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one ball into a circle about 5 mm thick. Transfer it to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the cinnamon–sugar mixture. 12. Roll out the second ball into a circle of the same diameter. Place it on top of the first circle. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with cinnamon–sugar. 13. Roll out the third ball into a circle of the same diameter. Place it on top. Do not brush the top layer. 14. Mark a small circle in the center (using a cutter or glass). From that circle, cut the dough outward to the edge: first into 4 sections, then each section into 2 — you’ll have 8 segments. In each segment, make a slit in the middle, cutting through all layers. Turn each segment inside-out through the slit, then pinch the outer corners together. Twist all segments this way to form a snowflake shape. (Make sure the layers are slightly visible; gently separate them if needed.) 15. Cover the pie with a towel and let it proof in a warm place for 20–30 minutes. 16. Repeat steps 11–15 with the second pie. 17. Preheat the oven to 385°F (195°C). 18. SYRUP. Mix 1.5 tablespoons sugar with vanilla extract and 100 ml boiling water. Stir until the sugar dissolves. 19. Brush the pies with the yolk–milk mixture. Bake in the preheated oven (no convection) on the middle rack for 20–25 minutes, until beautifully golden. 20. Brush the hot pies with the syrup and transfer to a rack to cool completely. SERVING IDEAS: - Serve with hot chocolate, mulled wine, spiced tea, or a latte — the cinnamon pairs perfectly. - Warm a slice for 10–15 seconds — it becomes soft, buttery, and perfect with morning coffee. - Pair slices with bowls of whipped cream, vanilla yogurt, or mascarpone for dipping. - Wrap in parchment and twine; it makes a beautiful homemade holiday gift.

   CHOUX PASTRY 1. Bring the water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt and the butter (soft or cut into pieces). Stir until the butter is fully melted. 2. Without removing the pot from the heat, add all the flour at once and stir quickly. You should get a smooth, fairly thick dough. 3. Remove the pot from the heat and let the dough cool for 2–3 minutes. Then add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each egg before adding the next so the mixture stays smooth. 4. The finished choux dough should be thick and soft. 5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 6. Preheat the oven to 365°F (185°C). 7. Transfer the dough to a piping bag and pipe 6 cm (about 2 1/2 inch) strips onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. 8. Bake the choux pastries for 25–30 minutes until beautifully golden. Do not open the oven door while baking! 9. Remove the baked éclairs from the baking sheet and let them cool. CREAM 10. Mix the sour cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla sugar. Beat on the highest mixer speed for 3 minutes. 11. Whip the chilled heavy cream separately until stiff, starting on low speed and gradually increasing. Fold the whipped cream into the sour cream mixture using a silicone spatula. ASSEMBLY 12. Place a 22 cm (8 1/2 inch) cake ring on a serving plate. Line the inside of the ring with parchment paper. Dip each pastry strip into the cream and arrange them in layers inside the ring. You should get 3 layers. 13. Cover the cake (still in the ring) with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight, to allow it to set. 14. Carefully remove the ring. 15. Decorate the top with grated chocolate or drizzle with melted chocolate. TIP: - Slice with a warm knife (dip in hot water, wipe, slice) for clean, elegant portions. SERVING IDEAS: - Add fresh berries on the side — raspberries or strawberries brighten the creamy flavor beautifully. - Pair with coffee or black tea — the cake’s light sweetness works perfectly with both.