Ingredients
Dough
- 1 kgstrong white flour
- 300 mlwarm milk
- 12 ginstant yeast
- 250 gsugar
- 6egg yolks
- 150 gbutter, melted
- 100 mloil
- 1 tspsalt
- zest of 2 lemons and 1 orange
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 2 tbsprum
Filling
- 400 gwalnuts, ground
- 200 gsugar
- 4egg whites
- 3 tbspcocoa
- 100 mlmilk
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 1 tspground cinnamon
- 100 graisins
To glaze
- 1egg, beaten
- granulated sugar
Directions
- Have every ingredient at room temperature and work in a warm draught-free kitchen. Cozonac dough is heavily enriched and it is slow and temperamental in the cold.
- Activate the yeast in a little of the warm milk with a spoonful of sugar and flour, and wait until it domes.
- Beat the yolks with the sugar, salt and both zests until pale, then combine with the flour, the yeast starter, the rest of the warm milk, the vanilla and the rum.
- Knead for a full 20 minutes, working in the melted butter and the oil a little at a time as you go.
- Twenty minutes is not an exaggeration. The long knead gives cozonac its characteristic stringy, pull-apart crumb, and Romanian cooks beat the dough against the side of the bowl rather than folding it gently.
- Prove in a warm place for 2 hours, until well doubled.
- For the filling, whisk the egg whites to soft peaks, then fold in the ground walnuts, sugar, cocoa, milk, cinnamon and raisins.
- Divide the dough in two, then each half in two again. Roll each piece into a rectangle, spread with filling, and roll it up tightly from the long side.
- Twist two filled rolls together into a rope and lay it into a lined loaf tin.
- Prove for a further 45 minutes.
- Brush with beaten egg and scatter granulated sugar over the top.
- Bake at 180°C (355°F) for 20 minutes, then lower to 165°C (330°F) and bake for a further 40 minutes, laying foil over the top if it browns early.
- Cool the loaves on their side, turning them occasionally, which stops a heavy filled cozonac collapsing under its own weight while it is still warm.
Technique
- Every Romanian household keeps its own recipe and considers it the correct one. The proportions here are a middle path.
- The dough should be soft and slightly tacky rather than firm. Adding flour to make it comfortable to handle is what gives a dry cozonac.
- It is baked for Christmas and Easter, and it keeps four or five days wrapped in a cloth.
Substitutions
- Ground poppy seed in place of walnuts, which is the other traditional filling.
- Turkish delight cut into cubes and rolled through the filling.
Variations
- With poppy seed filling.
- With cocoa and rum but no nuts.
- Baked as a single large plaited loaf rather than in tins.
History
Sweet yeast bread with walnut or poppy filling, baked at Christmas and Easter, with every household keeping its own recipe.
Frequently asked questions
What is Cozonac?
Cozonac is a bread & pastry from Romania: braided holiday sweet bread swirled with walnut-cocoa. Sweet yeast bread with walnut or poppy filling, baked at Christmas and Easter, with every household keeping its own recipe.
How long does Cozonac take to make?
Cozonac takes 1 hr plus 2 hr 45 min rising of preparation and 1 hr of cooking. The recipe makes 2 loaves. It is rated hard to make.
What can I substitute in Cozonac?
Yes, within limits. Ground poppy seed in place of walnuts, which is the other traditional filling. Turkish delight cut into cubes and rolled through the filling.
What is the most important thing to get right in Cozonac?
Twenty minutes is not an exaggeration. The long knead gives cozonac its characteristic stringy, pull-apart crumb, and Romanian cooks beat the dough against the side of the bowl rather than folding it gently.
