Cozonac cu Nucă (Moldovan Walnut Sweet Bread)
Local name: Cozonac cu nucă
In short: A tender yeast loaf swirled with sweet walnut and cocoa filling, baked until deep golden for Easter and Christmas tables. It takes about 1 h 35 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Resting
- 2 h 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 35 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 400 kcal
Cozonac is the sweet yeast bread that Moldovan families bake for Easter and Christmas. The enriched dough is rolled around a filling of ground walnuts and cocoa, twisted into a spiral and baked until the crumb pulls apart in soft, marbled ribbons. It slices neatly and keeps well for several days, so many bakers make two loaves at once. Serve it plain, with coffee or a glass of milk.
Instructions
- Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, egg yolks, melted butter, lemon zest, vanilla and rum and knead for 12 minutes, until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky. Cover and let it rise for 1 1/2 hours, until doubled.
- Mix the walnuts, sugar and cocoa, then stir in the hot milk and vanilla to make a thick paste. Let it cool.
- Grease two 23 x 12 cm (9 x 5 in) loaf pans and line them with parchment. Divide the dough in half and roll each piece into a rectangle about 30 x 40 cm (12 x 16 in).
- Spread the filling over the dough, leaving a 1 cm (1/2 in) border, and roll up tightly from a long side. Cut the roll in half lengthwise, twist the two strands together with the cut sides facing up and tuck the twist into a pan. Repeat with the second piece.
- Cover the pans and let the dough rise for 40 to 60 minutes, until puffy and nearly reaching the top.
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Brush the loaves with the egg yolk mixture and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until deep golden, covering with foil if they brown too fast. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then on a rack.
Tips
- Do not rush the rises. A slow, warm rise gives the soft, feathery crumb that cozonac is known for.
- If the top browns too early, cover the loaves loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes.
Questions and answers
How long does cozonac keep?
Wrapped well at room temperature, up to 5 days. It also freezes for 2 months. Thaw it wrapped, at room temperature.
Can I use a different filling for cozonac?
Yes. Poppy seeds, raisins soaked in rum, Turkish delight with cocoa or sweet cheese are all common. Use about the same quantity as the walnut filling.
Why is my cozonac dry?
Usually too much flour or too short a rise. The dough should stay soft and a little tacky, and it should double in size at each rise.
How long does it take to make Cozonac cu Nucă (Moldovan Walnut Sweet Bread)?
About 1 h 35 min in total: 50 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Cozonac cu Nucă (Moldovan Walnut Sweet Bread)?
About 400 kcal per serving, with 9 g of protein, 49 g of carbohydrates and 18 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 400 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 49 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 22 g |
| Sodium | 120 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
