1. Take out the butter so it can get soft while you prepare the rest. You can do that the night before already.

2. Add the flour to a large bowl and make a well in the middle. Add the sugar on the sides on top of the flour. Next, add the yeast and lukewarm milk to the middle and mix a little. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes – the yeast should foam up a bit.

3. Add the eggs, egg yolk and salt and knead with a dough hook in your food processor until you get a nice smooth dough (4-5 minutes). If the dough is too wet, add some more flour and knead. Cover with a kitchen towel and let the dough rise for about 45-60 minutes. The size should have doubled.

4. Roll out the dough on a well-floured surface to a square with 50x50cm. Spread the soft butter all over the dough in an even layer. Roll up the dough from one side. With the open side facing down, roll out the dough roll once more into a rectangle with a size of about 15x65cm. Be careful not to press the butter through the dough here. Roll up the dough rectangle once again – this time from the longer side so you get one long roll/log. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Take the roll/log and shape it into a swirl on top of the baking parchment. Do not roll it up too tight, the dough needs some space to expand (see photos). Cover that swirl with a kitchen towel and let it rise for another 1-2 hours.

5. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). The dough swirl should be one big disc now. Bake the Ensaïmada for about 20-25 minutes or until golden. Take it out of the oven and place it with the baking parchment on a wire rack so it can cool down a bit.

6. Slice the vanilla beans lengthwise in half and scrape out the seeds. Mix with the confectioners‘ sugar and dust the Ensaimada. Serve still a bit warm or completely cooled. It’s best the day it’s made but can be stored in an airtight container for a day or two.