Cozonac, Romanian sweet bread with candied fruit

Ingredients

For the dough

• 1 kg flour
• 350 ml milk
• 25 g fresh yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 egg yolks
• 250 g granulated sugar
• 1 sachet vanilla sugar
• 4 tablespoons rose water
• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
• 200 ml buttermilk
• 80 ml sunflower oil
• 80 g melted butter
• 30 g flour for the work surface and pans
• 20 g butter for the pans

For the filling

• 4 egg whites
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 100 g sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 teaspoons cocoa
• 350 g candied fruit

For brushing

• 1 egg
• 0.1 g saffron
• 4 tablespoons flaked almonds
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar

Preparation

1. Warm the milk over low heat for 2-3 minutes, until lukewarm. Dissolve the yeast in it, add 2 tablespoons of the flour for the dough and stir. Leave the yeast mixture somewhere warm for 10 minutes. 2. Sift the flour for the dough, add the salt and mix. Beat the egg yolks with the granulated sugar, vanilla sugar, rose water and lime zest until pale. Mix in the buttermilk, brought to room temperature, and stir until the sugar dissolves. 3. Add the yeast mixture to the flour, then gradually mix in the liquid mixture. Knead, adding the oil and melted butter. Continue kneading on a floured work surface for 30 minutes, until the dough comes away from your hands; use a little extra flour if it is too sticky. 4. Sprinkle flour into a bowl too, place the dough in it and cover with a towel. Leave it somewhere warm for an hour, until visibly risen. 5. Beat the egg whites with the salt and lemon juice until stiff. Add 50 g of the sugar. Mix the remaining 50 g of sugar with the ginger, cardamom and cocoa, then fold in the egg whites until smooth. 6. Heat the oven to 160-170°C. Divide the dough into four pieces and roll them out. Spread filling over each piece, sprinkle with the candied fruit and roll up. Braid the rolls together in pairs. Butter two loaf pans and dust with flour, then place the loaves in them. Leave to rise for 15-20 minutes, until they rise above the rim of the pans. 7. Beat the egg, crush the saffron and mix it into the egg. Brush the loaves, sprinkle with the flaked almonds and brown sugar, then set the oven to 180°C. Bake for 45 minutes, until browned on top. 8. Take them out onto a cutting board and cover with a towel. Leave to cool before slicing.