1. Preheat the oven to 50°C (120°F) and then turn it off again – this is for the dough to rise not to bake it.

2. Mix the lukewarm milk with sugar and yeast in a small bowl until completely dissolved. Cover and let sit for about 5 minutes. Sift the flour into a large bowl and add the salt, the butter in small pieces, sugar, eggs and the yeast-milk mixture. Knead until you get a nice smooth dough, then knead for some minutes with your hands on a floured surface and form a ball. Place the dough in the bowl again and cover with a kitchen towel. Place the bowl in the oven and let the dough rise for about 45-60 minutes. The size should almost double.

3. While the dough is rising in the oven, take the cold butter and wrap it loosely in plastic wrap. Take a rolling pin and hit it several times so it softens, then roll it out to a 1cm thick square. It works best if you loosen the plastic wrap in between so it does not tear apart. When you’re done, place the butter square (wrapped in plastic wrap again) in the fridge to cool. The butter has to be cool so you get nice layers in the dough later on.

4. Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a square – it should be bigger than your butter square. Unwrap your butter, place it on the dough and fold the dough like an envelope over the butter. Make sure the butter is sealed in completely, then flip this package upside down and roll it out into a long rectangle. Fold the ends towards the middle, one over the other to get three layers and flatten the package lightly. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 20 minutes.

5. Take the dough out of the fridge and start another rolling/folding round. This time fold both sides towards the center and then one end over the other to get four layers. Flatten the package slightly and wrap it in plastic wrap. Place the dough once more in the fridge for about 20 minutes. Mix cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl and set aside.

6. Preheat the oven to 200°C (390°F). Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Take the dough out of the fridge and roll it out into a large rectangle. Brush the dough with some water and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Press the mix slightly into the dough. Roll up the rectangle (from the long side) into a log. Cut the log into 5cm thick slices. Flatten them a bit and use the back of a wooden spoon to press a »notch« into the roll. The dough and sugar filling should get pressed out a bit on the left and right. That gives the »Franzbröchen« their typical shape. Place the dough pieces on the baking sheets with some space in between (they rise a lot) and bake them for about 15-20 minutes. The Franzbrötchen should get a nice golden color but not get too dark. Take them out of the oven and let them cool down on a wire rack completely.