Measure out the saffron then rub it firmly between your palms, crumbling it as small as you can. In a medium sized bowl, add the saffron to the warm water and let it steep for about 4 minutes.

Add the yeast and sugar and stir to combine. Allow the yeast to bloom/foam up, about 5 minutes.

Once the yeast has bloomed, add the ¾ teaspoon orange blossom water, eggs, egg yolk, olive oil, honey and clementine zest and whisk until combined. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and kosher salt and mix to combine.

Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and stir with a dough whisk or wooden spoon to create a rough, shaggy dough.

Pour the dough onto a clean kitchen counter and begin kneading the dough by pushing the dough with the palm of your hands, dragging it forward on the counter, and then folding it back over itself. Give it a quarter turn between each knead.

This dough starts off very sticky, so add a little additional flour as you knead (anywhere from ¼ -⅓ cup), until the dough is slightly smooth and supple, but still has a little tackiness left.

Lightly coat your mixing bowl in olive oil, a few tablespoons. Put the dough in the bowl and give it a little swirl around the bowl. Flip the dough over so all sides have been covered with oil.

Wrap the bowl in plastic wrap then with a towel, and let the dough rise in a warm place for 45 minutes, until the dough has doubled in size.

While the dough is rising, combine the roughly chopped golden raisins with 2 teaspoons orange blossom water, the juice of the clementine and allow the raisins to soak. Set them aside.

After 45 minutes, fold and punch down the dough four times, giving the dough a quarter turn between each fold and punch.

Cover the dough back up and allow it to rise another 35 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

Once rested, roll each piece out into an 11 inch strand with tapered edges.

Braid two, three strand challahs with tapered ends. Cover them with the plastic wrap and set them aside.

Stretch or roll each ball into a flat 4x6 rectangle, with the short sides parallel to you and the long sides pointing towards you.

Roll up each rectangle, working towards you, lightly dust them with flour, cover with plastic wrap and set them aside for five minutes to rest.

Once rested, roll each piece out into a 12 inch strand with tapered ends. Braid into a 6 strand challah with tapered ends.

Cover the challah and let it rise in a warm place until doubled. (The dough is fully proofed when you poke the dough with your finger and the dough doesn’t spring back right away.)

Combine the egg yolk and ¼ teaspoon of the clementine/orangle blossom water from the raisin bowl (or water is fine too) in a bowl and mix together. Brush the challah with the egg wash and allow it to dry for one minute. Brush on a second layer and scatter generously with sliced almonds.

Bake for 34-38 minutes until deeply golden and the bottom of the challah is browned and sounds hollow when you tap on it. If the top of the challah begins burning or turns too dark before the challah is finished baking, loosely top those areas with small pieces of aluminum foil while the challah continues baking.

Remove the challah from the oven and allow it to completely cool on a wire rack.