Mix the warm water with yeast to dissolve. Add 1 tsp sugar into this mixture.

Place the flour in a mixing bowl. Add the salt and any spices if you want to add spice it is not necessary though.

Pour the water into the flour mixture and start incorporating the flour to make a stiff dough.

You will probably have to add a few more tablespoons to facilitate the flour fully absorbing into the dough.

The dough will be dense and you will probably feel like this won't work because it's a stiff hockey puck.

When it is fully mixed cover with a tea towel and allow to rise for about 60 to 90 min.

Now take the dough and pat it out onto a board or your counter and add the butter.

Add about ⅓ of it in small chunks and knead it in with your hands.

Pat it into a square of about an inch thick and keep poking it and folding it until the butter is absorbed.

You will do this three times until all the butter has been used.

Put the dough in a bowl covered with a tea towel and allow to rise again about an hour or so.

Now take the dough and roll or pat it out so it's about ½ inch thick and cut it up into about 36 pieces.

Roll each piece into a long thin rope and place it into a shallow dish you've filled with a layer of sugar.

Roll into your hand to push the sugar into the cookie.

Shape the cookies into a circle with crossed ends.

Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for about 15 min or so.

WATCH CLOSELY because the sugar will caramelized and start to burn if you don't keep an eye on it.