Romanian Sweet Bread with Walnut (Cozonac)

Method

1. 1

   Make the filling. In a small saucepan, warm the milk, sugar, and salt over medium heat, stirring just until the sugar dissolves; do not boil. Remove from heat and whisk in the cocoa, vanilla, and rum. Put the ground walnuts in a heatproof bowl and pour the warm milk mixture over them. Stir well into a thick, spreadable paste. Let cool completely, then fold in the Turkish delight cubes. Set aside.

2. 2

   Bloom the yeast. In a small bowl, stir together the lukewarm milk, 1 teaspoon of the measured sugar, and the yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. If using fresh yeast, crumble it into the milk with the sugar and stir to dissolve.

3. 3

   Mix the dough. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the flour, remaining sugar, salt, lemon zest, and orange zest. Add the yeast mixture, egg yolks, sour cream, vanilla, and rum. Mix on low speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides. If the dough is very dry, add the extra 2 tablespoons milk, 1 tablespoon at a time.

4. 4

   Knead and add butter. Knead on low-medium speed for 8 minutes. With the mixer running, add the soft butter 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting until each addition is absorbed before adding the next. Knead 5-8 more minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and barely tacky. To test, stretch a small piece; it should form a thin, translucent window without tearing.

5. 5

   First rise. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly buttered large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

6. 6

   Shape the loaves. Butter two 9x5-inch (23x13 cm) loaf pans. Punch down the dough and divide it in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll one half into a rectangle about 16x12 inches (40x30 cm). Spread half of the walnut filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Roll up tightly from the long side and pinch the seam and ends to seal.

7. 7

   Twist and pan. Using a sharp knife, cut the roll lengthwise into two strands, leaving one end attached if you like. With the cut sides facing up, twist the two strands around each other, then pinch the ends together. Carefully transfer the twisted loaf to a prepared pan. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

8. 8

   Second rise. Cover the pans loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise in a warm place until the dough is puffy and nearly doubled, 45 to 60 minutes. Toward the end of the rise, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

9. 9

   Bake. Gently brush the tops of the loaves with the egg wash. If using flaked almonds, scatter them over the top. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the loaves are deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers at least 190°F (88°C). If the tops brown too quickly, tent loosely with foil after 30 minutes.

10. 10

    Cool. Let the cozonac cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Slicing too early can make the crumb seem doughy.