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.

   CRUST 1. In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt. 2. Grate the cold butter on a coarse grater directly into the flour mixture. 3. Toss gently to coat the butter shreds in flour. 4. Beat the egg and add it to the mixture. 5. Add cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, mixing until dough just comes together. You need to knead quickly so that the dough does not heat up. This helps preserve the butter’s integrity and ensures a flaky texture. 6. Divide into two discs, wrap in plastic, and chill for at least 1 hour. FILLING 7. In a saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. 8. Cook over medium heat until cherries release juices (5–7 minutes). 9. Stir in corn starch and cook until thickened (2–3 minutes). 10. Let cool completely. ASSEMBLE 11. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or brush with melted butter. 12. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). 13. Roll out one dough disc and line a 9-inch pie dish. 14. Brush the top of the dough with melted butter. 15. Pour in cooled cherry filling. 16. Roll out second disc and place over filling (or use strips for a lattice top). 17. Seal edges and crimp. Cut slits in top crust if using a full cover. 18. Mix the yolk with 1 tablespoon of water. Grease the pie with this mixture. Sprinkle with sugar on top. (You can sprinkle with ground nuts.) BAKE 19. Bake for 15 minutes at 425°F, then reduce to 375°F (190°C) and bake for 30 minutes until golden. 20. Cool for at least 2 hours before slicing.