بنت الصحن

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm milk and let it stand for five minutes until frothy. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt, then add the beaten eggs and the activated yeast mixture, stirring until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for ten minutes until it is smooth, elastic, and tacky but no longer sticky. If the dough feels too dry, add warm milk one tablespoon at a time until it reaches the right consistency.

Divide the kneaded dough into ten to twelve equal portions and roll each into a smooth ball. Place the balls on an oiled tray, cover with a damp cloth, and allow them to rest at room temperature for twenty minutes to relax the gluten.

Working with one ball at a time, flatten it with your hands on an oiled surface, then stretch and pull it outward as thinly as possible until it is nearly translucent, similar to strudel dough. Take care not to tear any holes in the sheet.

Brush the stretched layer generously with melted butter and place it into a greased round baking pan about thirty centimetres in diameter. Repeat with each remaining dough ball, stacking the buttered layers on top of one another in the pan.

After all layers are stacked, brush the top layer generously with egg yolk mixed with a splash of milk. Sprinkle the nigella seeds evenly over the surface, pressing them in gently so they adhere during baking.

Preheat the oven to one hundred and eighty degrees Celsius and bake the layered bread for twenty-five to thirty minutes until the top is a deep golden brown and the layers have puffed slightly, creating a flaky, laminated texture throughout.

Remove the bint al-sahn from the oven and immediately pour a generous amount of raw honey over the entire surface while the bread is still very hot, allowing it to seep between the layers. Serve warm, tearing pieces by hand at the table.