Warm the milk until lukewarm. Stir in the yeast and sugar and let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.

Add the sifted flour and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast mixture, ginger syrup, butter, and egg. Using the dough hook, knead until you have a smooth, elastic dough. You can also knead the dough by hand, but keep in mind that it will be fairly wet and sticky.

Lightly grease a bowl with oil or butter. Place the dough in the bowl, cover with a damp kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour.

To make the filling, melt 15 g (1 tablespoon) butter and stir in the pearl sugar and Dutch baking spice.

Grease a 10-inch (25 cm) loaf pan with butter and sprinkle the inside with the granulated sugar.

Roll the risen dough into a rectangle about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick. Sprinkle half of the pearl sugar mixture over the dough. Fold the dough over itself twice and knead briefly to distribute the filling.

Roll the dough out into another rectangle, making the short side approximately the same length as your loaf pan. Spread the remaining pearl sugar mixture over the dough. Roll the dough up and place it in the prepared pan, seam-side down.

Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for another 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Brush the top of the loaf with a little ginger syrup and sprinkle with additional pearl sugar, gently pressing the sugar into the dough.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and baked through.

Remove the sugar bread from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack. Let it cool well before slicing. It can still be slightly warm, but slicing it while it’s hot may cause the soft bread to tear.

Serve in thick slices, preferably with plenty of good butter.