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Nutritional Guidelines (per serving) | |
---|---|
924 | Calories |
46g | Fat |
113g | Carbs |
18g | Protein |
Nutrition Facts | |
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Servings: 8 | |
Amount per serving | |
Calories | 924 |
% Daily Value* | |
Total Fat 46g | 59% |
Saturated Fat 21g | 107% |
Cholesterol 306mg | 102% |
Sodium 532mg | 23% |
Total Carbohydrate 113g | 41% |
Dietary Fiber 5g | 16% |
Protein 18g | |
Calcium 315mg | 24% |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. |
Romanian cozonac is a slightly sweet yeast-raised egg bread, similar to houska, that is traditionally eaten for Easter, Christmas, and New ​Years. Bulgarians call this bread kozunak. It's considered the Italian panettone of the Romanians. When the cozonac dough is filled with farmer's cheese, it becomes a pasca, similar to a Polish kołacz.
This recipe calls for egg yolks only so freeze the leftover egg whites and save them for a recipe like this meringue torte.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups milk
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (plus 2 1/2 tablespoons, separated)
- 1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
- 4 large egg yolks (at room temperature)
- 3/4 cup sugar (superfine)
- 4 ounces raisins (light or dark)
- 1 lemon (zest only)
- 4 ounces butter (melted)
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (or canola oil)
- 1 large egg yolk (at room temperature)
- 1 tablespoon water
- Optional: 1 ounce walnuts
- Optional:Â 1 tablespoon raisins
- Optional:Â 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
Steps to Make It
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Gather the ingredients.
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Scald 1/2 cup of the milk and stir in 2 1/2 tablespoons of the flour until smooth. Let cool 10 minutes.
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Heat another 1/2 cup of the milk just until lukewarm. Do not scald. Place yeast in a small bowl and pour lukewarm milk over, stirring until dissolved.
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Add yeast mixture to the cooled milk-flour paste and beat until large air bubbles appear.
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Cover and let rise at least 15 minutes.
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Heat the remaining 1/4 cup milk to lukewarm. Do not overheat. Pour into a warmed large bowl or bowl of a stand mixer. Add the egg yolks, sugar, raisins, zest, yeast mixture, and the remaining 3 1/2 cups flour, stirring after each addition.
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Knead about 10 minutes by machine or 15 to 20 minutes with buttered hands while still in the bowl, adding some melted butter as necessary to achieve a nonsticky, pliable, moist ball of dough. It will probably take about 3 ounces of the melted butter. Save the rest.
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Add rum, vanilla, and oil and knead another 2 to 3 minutes.
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Cover bowl with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.
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Punch down and, with hands dipped in some of the remaining 1 ounce of melted butter, knead another 5 to 10 minutes.
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Heat oven to 350 F.
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Coat a 10- to 12-inch round pan that is at least 3 inches deep or a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan with cooking spray. Using buttered hands, twist the dough and place in the pan.
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Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until dough reaches the top of the pan.
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Brush top of dough with egg wash (1 large egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon water). Sprinkle with optional walnuts and raisins, if desired.
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Bake 1 hour or until toothpick tests clean or an instant-read thermometer registers 190 F.
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Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. If you wish, while the cake is still hot, sprinkle with optional confectioners' sugar.
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Let cool completely before slicing and serving.
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Enjoy!
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