Romanian cozonac.
Growing up in Romania, I made cozonac with my grandmother for Easter, Christmas, and other special occasions. I remember the wonderful smell of sweet dough, cocoa, walnuts, and citrus filling her kitchen.
Now my husband makes this cozonac with me. He isn’t Romanian, but he makes this recipe so well! My grandmother would be proud of him.
- Makes
- 1 large loaf
- Bake
- About 1 hour
- Oven
- 340°F / 170°C
Ingredients
For one large loaf
Dough
- 500 g flour
- 7 g dry yeast
- 150 g sugar
- 200 ml warm milk
- 2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg
- 50 g softened butter
- 80 ml neutral oil
- A pinch of salt
- Zest of 1 orange or lemon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Filling
- 200 g finely ground walnuts
- 80 g unsweetened cocoa powder
- 50–100 g sugar, to taste
- 2 egg whites
- A few tablespoons of milk, as needed
For brushing
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon milk
Make the cozonac
Start the dough
Beat the 2 egg yolks, whole egg, salt, and sugar together. Mix in the warm milk, vanilla, and citrus zest.
Knead
Add the flour and yeast. Knead until the dough comes together. Gradually work in the softened butter and oil until the dough is soft and elastic.
Let it rise
Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, until puffy.
Make the filling
Mix the finely ground walnuts, cocoa, and sugar. Beat the egg whites until foamy and fold them in. Add milk a tablespoon at a time until the filling is thick but spreadable.
Fill and shape
Roll the dough into a rectangle. Spread the filling over it, leaving a small border. Roll it up and place it in a parchment-lined loaf pan.
Rise again
Cover and let it rise until the dough reaches about the top of the pan. Brush the plain top with the egg yolk and milk mixture.
Bake and cool
Bake at 340°F (170°C) for about 1 hour. If the top browns too quickly, cover it loosely with foil. Let the cozonac cool before slicing.
Cook for someone you love.