Homemade sweet bread with walnuts (Romanian cozonac) - recipe(inlcuding photos)

This is a traditional bread made in Romania for the main religious celebrations (Easter and Christmas), when all the members of the family are around the table.

Ingredients:

• 650-700 grams of flour
• 300 milliliters of milk
• 100 grams of sugar (or more, according to taste)
• 100 grams of melted butter
• 14 grams of dried yeast
• 30 grams of dark chocolate
• 5 eggs
• 1 spoon of cacao powder
• zest from 1 orange
• 150 grams of walnuts
• vanilla sugar

Mix the yeast the warm milk and 1 spoon of flour and let it rest for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes it will look like this if it was kept in a warm place.
 

Mix the composition with 3 eggs, vanilla sugar, sugar and the salt.

Add the flour and mix well.

Put one spoon of the melted butter over the dough and mix continuously until is incorporated and repeat the operation until the butter is finished. It can take half an hour.

Let the dough rest for 1 hour.

For the filling you need 2 egg whites well beaten with 2 spoons of sugar, zest from 1 orange and the melted chocolate. Finally add the walnuts and mix well.

Dived the dough in 3 - 4 pieces.
Spread one piece on the table, and add the filling .

Roll the dough.

Repeat the operation with another piece and try to model them like in the photo.

Brush the dough with the remaining 2 egg yolks and put it in the oven at 160 degrees Celsius for 15-20 minutes and then at 120 degrees Celsius for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy!