Perfect Cozonac Recipe (Romanian Holiday Sweet Bread)
This recipe makes two big, fluffy and beautiful cozonaci. The nutritional information is calculated on the basis of a slice, if each cozonac is cut into 15 slices (so 30 slices total).
Servings 30 slices
Calories 362kcal
Equipment
- 2 loaf pans see recipe post for size details
- stand mixer with dough hook attachment
- food processor for making the filling (optional)
- parchment paper for lining the pans (optional)
- aluminum foil for covering the loaves while baking
- pastry brush for eggwash
Ingredients
sponge (preferment)
- 200 grams flour
- 200 ml milk
- 14 grams dry yeast or 40 grams fresh yeast
dough
- 800 grams flour
- 200 ml milk
- 200 grams sugar
- 200 grams butter softened to room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 4 egg yolks
- zest of one lemon
- zest of one orange
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or substitute vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon rum essence
- 20 ml spiced rum 1 tablespoon and 1 tsp
- 12 grams salt
filling
- 500 grams walnuts
- 100 grams sugar
- 80 ml milk
- 60 grams egg white about 2 egg whites
- 30 grams butter
- 12 grams cocoa powder
- 20 ml spiced rum 1 tablespoon and 1 tsp
- 0.5 teaspoon rum essence
- 3 grams salt
extras
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil to grease the bowl when resting the dough (optional)
- 1 tablespoon butter for preparing the loaf pans
- 1 tablespoon flour for preparing the loaf pans
- 1 egg beaten well for eggwash
Instructions
make the sponge (20 minutes)
- Make the sponge by mixing the sponge ingredients and letting it rise in a warm oven (50C / 120 F) for 15-20 minutes until bubbly.
mix the dough (30 minutes)
- Add the sponge to the bowl of the stand mixer with the rest of the dough ingredients except the butter.
- Start the mixer on low and set a timer for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, set a timer for 20 minutes and begin adding the butter slowly.
- After a total of 30 minutes of mixing the dough is ready for the first proof.
proof the dough (80 minutes)
- Put the dough back in the warm oven (50 C / 120 F) for 20 minutes.
- After 20 minutes, do 3-4 stretch and folds. Then put back in warm oven for 20 more minutes.
- Repeat once more (for a total of 60 minutes in the oven) then take the dough out of the oven and do your final stretch and fold then leave it to cool and rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes.
prepare the loaf pans and make the filling* (5 minutes)
- While the dough is proofing you can prepare the loaf pans and parchment paper (if using). If using parchment paper, cut two sheet to less than the width of your loaf pans. Prepare the loaf pans by rubbing with a layer of butter and then flour on all the surfaces that will be in contact with the dough.
- If you want some bigger nut pieces in the cozonac, set aside 100 grams. These can be either quickly pulsed in a food processor to desired consistency or rough chopped with a knife. Set them aside until ready to use.
- Add the walnuts and all the other dry ingredients for the filling to the bowl of the food processor and pulse until the mixture is fine and smooth.
- Add all the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and pulse until a smooth paste forms.
shape (20 minutes)
- Cut the dough into two equal pieces. Cover one of them while you roll out the other.
- Cut the dough again into either 2 pieces (to make a twist shape) or 3 pieces (to make a braid shape) and roll out each of the pieces 10 cm / 4 inches longer than your loaf pan on either side and wide enough that they can be rolled into a carpet with 2-3 rotations.
- Distribute the filling equally for all the pieces of dough and spread on in a thin layer.
- Roll the pieces of dough into carpet-like rolls.
- Gently slide the parchment paper underneath the rolls positioned exactly in the middle (so you can use it to lift the shaped loaf).
- Bring together the ends of the rolls and either twist (if two pieces) or braid (if 3 pieces).
- Gently lift the loaf with the parchment paper or your hands and place it into the prepared loaf pans.
- Cover the prepared loaf with a clean kitchen cloth, and repeat this process on the remaining piece of dough.
final proof (30-40 minutes)
- Once both loaves and ready and in the loaf pans, put them back in the warm (50 C / 120 F) oven. Proof in the warm oven for 30-40 minutes or until significantly puffed up.
- Take the loaves out of the oven, and heat the oven up to 175 C / 350 F.
- Apply eggwash to the loaves.
bake (45 minutes)
- Put the loaves in the preheated oven. Set two timers: one for the total baking time of 45 minutes and another for 15 minutes.
- After 15 minutes, check on the loaves. If they are very dark brown on top already, then gently cover them with aluminum foil (like a tent) and reduce the oven temperature to 160 C / 320 F. If they are not very dark, then wait another 5 minutes before you tent them and reduce the oven temperature.
- After 45 minutes the cozonaci should be ready. Allow the cozonaci to cool for 15-20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
Note on filling:
If you are using pre-ground walnuts, you can just mix all the ingredients together in a bowl until evenly mixed.
If you want some bigger nut pieces in the cozonac, set aside 100 grams. These can be either quickly pulsed in a food processor to desired consistency or rough chopped with a knife. Set them aside until ready to use.