Beigli with Walnut - Dios Bejgli

Dough: In a small container, heat 50 ml of milk until lukewarm, then add 30 g of fresh yeast together with a pinch of salt. This combination will activate the yeast, allowing the dough to rise and become fluffy. In a large bowl, put 600 g flour, 200 g melted butter or margarine, 100 g powdered sugar, two egg yolks, the milk in which the yeast has dissolved and 200 ml cream. Mix all the ingredients well with a spatula or with your hands until the dough is homogeneous and elastic. Then, wrap the dough in a bag with a little flour sprinkled on top to prevent sticking and put it in the fridge for two hours. This resting period will help the flavors to develop and give it a smooth texture.

Filling: In a saucepan, bring 150 ml of water to the boil, to which add four tablespoons of honey and 250 g of sugar. Stir constantly until the sugar is completely dissolved, then add 250 g of ground walnuts and 250 g of finely chopped walnuts, either in a mortar or with a knife. Boil the mixture for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to let it stick. Once off the heat, add the raisins, half a teaspoon of ground coffee, a quarter teaspoon of ground cinnamon, the rum essence and the vanilla essence or vanilla sugar. Mix well and allow the filling to cool completely before using.

Once the dough has chilled, remove and divide into two equal parts. On a floured board, roll out each piece of dough into a rectangle about 0.5 cm thick. On each rolled out sheet of dough, apply a portion of the cooled filling, taking care to leave a 1-1.5 cm (1-1.5 cm) free edge on all sides. Roll the pastry with the filling, being careful not to roll it too tightly to allow the juices to develop during baking. Place the rolls in baking paper-lined baking tins, brush the surface with beaten egg and use a fork to poke a few holes in the pastry, allowing steam to escape during baking.

We place the loaves in the preheated oven, letting them bake for the first five minutes on high heat to get a nice crust, then reduce the temperature to low to continue baking until they are golden brown and pass the toothpick test. Once baked, take them out of the oven and leave them to cool in the tin, covered with a towel to keep them moist. Once cool, slice them and they're ready to serve. Enjoy!