Ease of preparation: Medium
Yield: 12 pastries
Ingredients:
1 cup (240 ml) raisins
1 cup (240 ml) boiling water
2 ¼ teaspoons (11 ml) yeast
¼ cup (60 ml) warm water
1/3 cup (80 ml) butter, divided
1 cup (240 ml) milk
2 eggs
1/3 cup (80 ml) sugar
4 cups (960 ml) bread flour
Almond cream
1/3 cup (80 ml) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (240 ml) ground almonds
2 tablespoons (30 ml) flour
½ cup (120 ml) sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon (5 ml) almond extract
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
Buttery icing glaze
½ cup (120 ml) butter, melted
1 cup (240 ml) icing sugar
2 tablespoons (30 ml) milk
Method:
Let’s get baking!
Add the raisins to a bowl. Pour the boiling water over top. Let the raisins sit to rehydrate.
To the bowl of a stand mixer, add yeast and warm water and shake the bowl a little to agitate. Let sit 10 minutes until mixture is bubbly.
In a saucepan, melt 1/3 cup (80 ml) butter with the milk. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour into bowl with yeast mixture and mix. Add eggs and whisk in. Add 1/3 cup (80 ml) sugar and mix in. Slowly add bread flour with the dough hook running. Stop adding flour when dough is tacky. Cover and let rise 1 hour, or until doubled.
To make the almond cream, add butter, ground almonds, flour, sugar, eggs, almond extract, and vanilla extract a bowl. Mix until smooth.
To make the buttery icing glaze, add melted butter to a bowl. Add icing sugar and milk a bit at a time, stirring, until it reaches a drizzle consistency.
To finish, drain raisins.
Roll out dough into a large rectangle. Spread the almond cream on top. Sprinkle the raisins on top of the almond cream. Roll rectangle tightly along longest side to form a filled log. Cut into slices. Place on a baking tray. Let rise, uncovered, for 1 hour.
Melt remaining butter. Brush on pastries. Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 12-15 minutes.
Remove pastries from the oven. Drizzle with icing glaze while they’re still warm.