Prepare dough: Combine sugar, salt, yeast and 2 cups flour in bowl. Heat milk and butter in saucepan until very warm (125 to 130 degrees). Gradually beat milk into flour mixture at medium speed. Beat in eggs and 2 cups flour to make thick batter. With wooden spoon, stir in 3 cups flour, 1/2 cup at a time.

Knead dough on floured surface until smooth and elastic, 5 minutes; work in remaining flour to prevent sticking. Shape into ball. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.

Prepare filling: Combine nuts, sugar, honey, butter and cinnamon in bowl. Grease 10-inch tube pan with removeable bottom.

Roll dough out on lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin into 20x12-inch rectangle. Spread nut filling over surface of dough. From long side, tightly roll dough up jellyroll fashion; pinch seam to seal. Cut roll lengthwise in half, leaving one end uncut. Keeping cut sides up, twist halves together to form rope; pinch ends to seal.

Place dough in prepared pan, shaping into ring; press ends together to seal. Cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, about 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350. Place sheet of aluminum foil on lower rack to catch any drips from pan.

Bake twist in 350 degree oven for 1 hour or until golden brown. Tent pan with aluminum foil during last 30 minutes of baking to prevent overbrowning. Cool twist in pan on wire rack for 20 minutes. Run knife around side and center of pan. Remove the side of the pan.

Heat apricot preserves in small saucepan unitl melted, stirring occasionally with wooden spoon. Brust top and sides of twist with the melted preserves. Cool twist on wire rack to room temperature before slicing to serve.

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