Saffron Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 0.1 g ground saffron (1 sachet)
• 125 ml buttermilk
• 0.5 cube Yeast
• 450 g spelt flour (Type 630)
• 75 g raw cane sugar
• 2 Eggs
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp milk (1.5 % fat)
• 16 raisins

Instructions

1. 1.

   Dissolve saffron in 1 tablespoon warm water in a small bowl.

2. 2.

   Heat buttermilk in a small pot to lukewarm, crumble yeast into it and stir until dissolved.

3. 3.

   Combine flour, sugar, 2 eggs and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the dissolved saffron and yeasted milk; knead with hand mixer attachments until smooth.

4. 4.

   Cover with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in volume.

5. 5.

   Transfer dough to a floured work surface and knead by hand. Roll out to ~2 cm thickness with a rolling pin and rest briefly.

6. 6.

   Line two baking trays with parchment paper. Using a template cut approximately eight "shortbread cookies", each about 15 cm long; place them on the trays using a palette.

7. 7.

   Separate remaining egg white for other use. Whisk yolk with milk in a cup; brush over the shortbread cookies.

8. 8.

   Press two raisins into each cookie as eyes, then bake in preheated oven at 180 °C (fan: 160 °C, gas: level 2) on the middle rack for about 20 minutes.