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Cozonac – Romanian Easter Bread

Delightful Cozonac – Romanian Easter Bread Recipe to Savor

Cozonac is a delightful Romanian Easter bread featuring a rich cocoa and walnut filling, perfect for festive celebrations.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Rising Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Romanian
Calories: 250

Ingredients
  

For the Dough
  • 4 cups All-purpose flour or bread flour
  • 1 cup Warm milk around 105-120°F (43°C)
  • 3 large Eggs room temperature
  • 1 cup Sugar adjust as desired
  • 2 teaspoons Active dry yeast
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract optional
  • 1 tablespoon Lemon or orange zest fresh
  • ½ cup Melted butter
For the Filling
  • 1 cup Raisins soaked in vanilla or rum
  • 1 cup Ground walnuts or pecans
  • ½ cup Cocoa powder unsweetened
  • ½ cup Powdered sugar
For Topping
  • 1 large Egg white for brushing
  • 2 tablespoons Brown sugar or turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Equipment

  • Mixing Bowl
  • Loaf pan
  • Oven
  • Kitchen Scale
  • stand mixer

Method
 

Step-by-Step Instructions
  1. Warm the milk until it reaches 105-120°F (43°C). Combine with melted butter, egg yolks, sugar, and yeast in a bowl, allowing to bloom for 5 minutes.
  2. Gradually mix in the flour and citrus zest, kneading the dough until smooth and elastic, about 8-10 minutes.
  3. Shape the dough into a ball and let it rise in an oiled bowl for 1.5 to 2 hours until doubled in size.
  4. Soak raisins in vanilla or rum for 15 minutes. Mix together ground walnuts, cocoa powder, and powdered sugar for the filling.
  5. Punch down the dough, divide into two pieces, roll into rectangles, spread the filling, sprinkle with raisins, and roll tightly.
  6. Twist the rolled dough logs together and place them in loaf pans; let rise for another hour until doubled.
  7. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush loaves with egg white, sprinkle with sugar, and bake for 40-60 minutes until golden brown.
  8. Let the loaves cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely before slicing.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sliceCalories: 250kcalCarbohydrates: 36gProtein: 5gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 150mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 1gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 300IUCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg

Notes

Allow the bread to cool completely before slicing for perfect slices and to reveal the delightful swirls inside each loaf.

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