Saffron Cake

Here's how:

• 1

  Melt the butter and add the saffron. Stir until the butter and saffron come to a boil. Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the whipping cream and milk, and mix. Crumble in the yeast when the liquid reaches 20 °C.

• 2

  Add the egg and sugar and mix well. Add the wheat flour a little at a time and mix well, preferably in a stand mixer. Knead the dough. Add just enough flour so that the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl; the dough should be soft and easy to work with.

• 3

  Let the dough rise in the bowl for about 60 minutes. A good tip is to let the dough rise in a turned-off oven; this will protect it from drafts.

• 4

  While the dough is rising, whisk together the almond paste, butter, and the zest from the grated orange.

• 5

  Knead the dough a couple of times and divide it into two pieces. If you're making a flower as a decoration, set aside a small piece of dough for later.

• 6

  Roll out the dough a little at a time until it's thin. Then brush on the almond paste mixture and roll it up into a log, just like when you make cinnamon rolls.

• 7

  Cut the roll into 1.5–2 cm thick slices, and then place the buns one by one, fairly close together, on the bottom of a greased springform pan.

• 8

  Let it rise for another 60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 200 °C while the cake is rising.

• 9

  Cut out a thin strip of dough and roll it so it looks like a mini cinnamon roll; this will be the rose itself.

• 10

  Cut out two leaves as desired. Place the decorations on a platter and put them in the refrigerator.

• 11

  Mix the eggs and whipped cream, then brush the mixture onto the risen cake. Sprinkle pearl sugar over the cake and decorate with flowers as desired.

• 12

  Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, or about 9 minutes if you're making buns.