This recipe makes one large roll. If you want to make two, simply double the recipe and divide the dough equally into two
Prepare the dough:
Combine all-purpose flour, milk, yeast, lard, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir with a spatula at first and then knead with your hand into a smooth dough, about 5 minutes. You can also do this with a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook
Wrap it up with a plastic wrap and keep it chilled in the fridge for at least 1 hour
Prepare the filling:
Soak the raisins in rum for 30 minutes then drain. I leave 1/3 of the walnut roughly chopped (for texture, but you can skip), and the rest I finely chop the walnut in the food processor until finely ground. Then combine with powdered sugar, orange zest, lemon zest, and hot milk. Stir to combine to form a moist spreadable paste. Add hot milk as needed
Shaping:
Lightly flour your surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle about 10 x 12 inches, with the long side near you
Spread the walnut filling evenly over the dough, leaving an 1 border on all sides. Fold the edge over the filling to prevent it from leaking out during baking
Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log.
Place this on a baking sheet lined with a parchment paper, seam side down
Beat the egg yolk with a fork. Brush the outside of the shaped dough with egg yolk. Then cover the dough with a greased plastic wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes
Then brush with beaten egg white all over and let it chill in the fridge, uncovered for another 30 minutes. Do not skip this step as it helps the dios beigli to develop nice crackle-looking appearance
Baking:
15 minutes before the last rest in the fridge (after brushing the egg white wash)Begin preheating the oven to 350 F (180 C) for conventional oven. For convection oven, lower the temperature by 20 F (15 C)
Use the tines of the fork to make holes along the length of the body, about 8-10 pierces should be enough and on the sides of the dough.
Place this in the oven's middle rack and bake for 40-45 minutes or until the dios beigli is deep golden brown
Cooling:
Carefully transfer to a cooling rack and let it cool down completely before slicing. This may take 4-6 hours