Yeast-Dough Sparrows

Put the flour into a large bowl and make a well in the center.

Crumble the fresh yeast into the well, add the lukewarm milk and 1 tsp sugar, and stir with a little flour from the edge to make a sponge.

Cover the sponge and let it rise for about 20 minutes.

Add the remaining sugar, soft butter, salt and eggs to the bowl and knead everything into a smooth, elastic yeast dough.

Cover the dough and let it rise for another about 30 minutes.

Briefly knead the dough and divide it into 12 equal portions.

From each portion form a large and a small ball. Press a dimple into the large ball and "glue" the small ball on top using beaten egg yolk.

Place the sparrows on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Use scissors to make cuts for the wings, tail and crest.

Insert raisins as eyes and almonds as beaks.

Brush the sparrows with beaten egg yolk.

Let the shaped sparrows rise again for about 15 minutes.

Preheat the oven: fan 180 °C (or conventional 200 °C).

Bake the yeast-dough sparrows for 20–30 minutes until golden brown.

Take them out of the oven and let cool on a wire rack.