Raisin and Spice Pastry

In the mixer bowl, place 1/4 cup of flour and butter, attach the dough hook, and turn on the mixer on medium speed until the flour is completely incorporated with the butter.

On a piece of butter paper, place the butter-flour mixture, shape it into a thin rectangle with your fingertips, cover with another piece of butter paper, and place in the fridge for about 15 minutes.

In the same mixer bowl, place the remaining flour, yeast, water, egg, milk, sugar, and salt, and turn on the mixer on medium speed until the dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.

On a floured surface, place the dough and stretch it into a rectangle with your fingertips, then use a rolling pin to roll it out to a medium-sized rectangle.

Remove the butter piece from the paper and place it in the center of the dough, fold the ends of the rectangle over the butter, cover with butter paper, and place in the fridge for about 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge, roll out again into a rectangle, fold the ends over, cover with plastic wrap, and return to the fridge for another 30 minutes. Repeat this step twice.

For the filling, in a bowl, place sugar, milk, butter, cardamom, and saffron, and mix with your fingertips until fully combined.

Remove the dough from the fridge and place on a floured surface, roll out to a rectangle about 3 to 4 mm thick, and cut the rectangle lengthwise into two halves.

Spread the filling in the center of the two rectangles, roll each edge over the filling to form two rolls, then coil each roll into a spiral shape and place in a large baking tray with the sealed side down. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 10 to 15 minutes.

Position the oven rack in the middle and preheat the oven to 180°C.

For the topping, brush the pastries with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar and almonds.

Bake the raisin pastry for 15 minutes or until golden brown.