Cozonac: Romanian Easter and Christmas Bread

Gather the ingredients.

Scald 1/2 cup of the milk and stir in 2 1/2 tablespoons of the flour until smooth. Let cool 10 minutes.

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.

Add yeast mixture to the cooled milk-flour paste and beat until large air bubbles appear.

Cover and let rise at least 15 minutes.

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.

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.

Add rum, vanilla, and oil and knead another 2 to 3 minutes.

Cover bowl with greased plastic wrap and let rise until doubled.

Punch down and, with hands dipped in some of the remaining 1 ounce of melted butter, knead another 5 to 10 minutes.

Pre heat oven to 350 F. 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.

Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise until dough reaches the top of the pan.

Brush top of dough with egg wash (1 large egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon water). Sprinkle with optional walnuts and raisins, if desired.

Bake 1 hour or until toothpick tests clean or an instant-read thermometer registers 190 F.

Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack. If you wish, while the cake is still hot, sprinkle with optional confectioners' sugar. Let cool completely before slicing and serving.