Golfeados

Ingredients

• For the dough:
• 3/4 cup warm milk
• 2 active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting counter and rolling pin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon aniseed
• Vegetable oil for greasing bowl
• For the filling:
• 8 ounces Latin American firm white cheese, finely grated
• 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon aniseed
• For the Melado, Glaze
• 1 1/2 cups packed dark brown sugar
• 1 cup water

Directions

1. Start the dough by stirring together 1/4 cup milk, the yeast, and 1/4 teaspoon sugar in a small bowl. Set it aside until it looks bubbly and foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, mix the remaining sugar, dark brown sugar, flour, and salt. Pour in the remaining milk, eggs, honey, vanilla, and the yeast mixture, then use the hook attachment on low speed until everything comes together, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the butter and aniseed. Keep mixing on medium speed until the dough turns smooth and glossy, 6 to 8 minutes.
4. Oil a large bowl lightly, tuck the dough inside, and cover it with a clean, damp kitchen towel. Let it sit somewhere warm until it has puffed to twice its size, about 1 hour.
5. While the dough rises, make the filling. In a medium bowl, combine all but 2 tablespoons cheese with the dark brown sugar, cinnamon, and aniseed. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill it until you need it.
6. Sprinkle a clean, dry counter lightly with flour. Flour your hands lightly too, since the dough will be sticky, and move the dough onto the counter. Dust the rolling pin lightly with flour, then roll the dough into a 16- by 14-inch rectangle.
7. Brush the dough with butter, keeping a 1/2-inch border clear around every edge. Scatter the cheese mixture over the buttered part.
8. Starting from a long edge, roll the dough into a 16-inch-long log. As you go, use a clean, dry pastry brush to sweep away any extra flour.
9. Slice the log crosswise into 12 rolls. Set them cut-side up on a parchment lined baking sheet, then press each one down gently to flatten it a bit, since the rolls tighten up when sliced.
10. Cover the rolls with oiled plastic wrap and let them rise in a warm spot until they have doubled, about 1 hour.
11. Set a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the rolls until golden, 20 minutes.
12. While the golfeados bake, make the melado. Combine the brown sugar and water in a medium saucepan, then bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar has fully dissolved. Lower the heat to medium and simmer until the syrup is thick, glossy, and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, 5 to 7 minutes. Take the pan off the heat.
13. Once the golfeados have baked for 20 minutes, brush them with half of the melado, then slide them back into the oven for 10 minutes.
14. Move the baking sheet to a cooling rack and brush the golfeados with the rest of the melado. Let them cool about 10 minutes, then finish with the remaining cheese. Serve warm.