Ensaimadas

Directions

1. 1
   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.
2. 2
   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.
3. 3
   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.
4. 4
   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.