Ensaimadas

Photo: flickr user kochtopf

Ingredients

2 tablespoons caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling

2/3 cup warm water

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

4 cups white bread flour

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 egg yolks

6 tablespoons to 8 warm milk

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Preparation

Dissolve 1 tsp in the warm water, then sprinkle in the yeast. Stir, then set aside for 10 minutes or until frothy. Sift the flour and salt into a large bowl.

Cream the softened butter with the remaining sugar in a large bowl. When it is fluffy, beat in the egg yolks and a little sifted flour. Gradually stir in the remaining flour with the yeast mixture and enough milk to form a soft but not sticky dough. Transfer to an oiled plastic bag. Close the bag loosely, leaving plenty of room for the dough to rise. Leave in a warm place for about an hour, until the dough doubles in bulk.

On a lightly floured surface, knock back (punch down) the dough, then roll it out in a large rectangle. Brush the surface with half of the melted butter; sprinkle with the cheese, then roll up from a long side like a jelly roll. Knead the dough thoroughly, then divide into 10 to 12 pieces.

Roll each piece of dough into a thin rope, 15 in long. On greased baking sheets, coil each rope into a loose spiral. Leave to rise for about 45 minutes or until doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Bake the ensaimadas for 15-20 minutes until golden. Remove from the oven, then brush with remaining melted butter and sprinkle with caster sugar. Serve warm.