To prepare a delicious cozonac, we will start with an essential step: preparing the starter. In a small bowl, we crumble the fresh yeast and combine it with a little warm milk, adding a teaspoon of sugar. The sugar will activate the yeast, helping it to ferment. After mixing the ingredients well, we add a tablespoon of flour, obtaining a homogeneous paste. This mixture will be left to rise for about 15-20 minutes in a warm place, where the yeast will start to do its job.
In the meantime, we can take care of the other ingredients. In a large bowl, we add the remaining sugar, the oil, and then we start incorporating the flour, adding it gradually, in a rain-like manner. It is important to mix constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Then, we add the eggs, one by one, and a pinch of salt, which will give flavor to the dough. The last ingredient we will add is the remaining milk, which will make the dough softer and more elastic. After obtaining a homogeneous dough, we knead it well until it no longer sticks to our hands. Now, the dough will be left to rise for about an hour in a warm place until it doubles in volume.
In the meantime, we can take care of the filling. In a small bowl, we mix the sugar with cocoa powder. If we want to add an extra flavor, we can include orange and lemon zest, which will bring a fresh and fragrant taste. We can also add diced Turkish delight and raisins to provide an interesting texture and additional sweetness to the filling.
After the dough has risen, we prepare our work surface by greasing it with oil. We stretch the dough with our hands, forming a sheet of suitable size. We evenly sprinkle the sugar and cocoa mixture, followed by the ground almonds and a few strips of butter, which will melt and give a rich taste to the cozonac. We carefully roll the dough, forming a tightly packed cylinder, and place it in a baking tray lined with parchment paper. We let the cozonac rise for another 15 minutes, and then we brush it with a beaten egg yolk, which will give a golden and appetizing crust.
We preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and bake the cozonac for about 40 minutes, or until it becomes golden brown and delicious. When it is ready, we take the cozonac out of the oven and cover it with a kitchen towel to keep it moist. After it has cooled, we can start slicing it. It is perfect to be served alongside a cup of tea or coffee. Enjoy your meal!
In the meantime, we can take care of the other ingredients. In a large bowl, we add the remaining sugar, the oil, and then we start incorporating the flour, adding it gradually, in a rain-like manner. It is important to mix constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Then, we add the eggs, one by one, and a pinch of salt, which will give flavor to the dough. The last ingredient we will add is the remaining milk, which will make the dough softer and more elastic. After obtaining a homogeneous dough, we knead it well until it no longer sticks to our hands. Now, the dough will be left to rise for about an hour in a warm place until it doubles in volume.
In the meantime, we can take care of the filling. In a small bowl, we mix the sugar with cocoa powder. If we want to add an extra flavor, we can include orange and lemon zest, which will bring a fresh and fragrant taste. We can also add diced Turkish delight and raisins to provide an interesting texture and additional sweetness to the filling.
After the dough has risen, we prepare our work surface by greasing it with oil. We stretch the dough with our hands, forming a sheet of suitable size. We evenly sprinkle the sugar and cocoa mixture, followed by the ground almonds and a few strips of butter, which will melt and give a rich taste to the cozonac. We carefully roll the dough, forming a tightly packed cylinder, and place it in a baking tray lined with parchment paper. We let the cozonac rise for another 15 minutes, and then we brush it with a beaten egg yolk, which will give a golden and appetizing crust.
We preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and bake the cozonac for about 40 minutes, or until it becomes golden brown and delicious. When it is ready, we take the cozonac out of the oven and cover it with a kitchen towel to keep it moist. After it has cooled, we can start slicing it. It is perfect to be served alongside a cup of tea or coffee. Enjoy your meal!
Ingredients
for 1 sweet bread: 5 eggs, 500 g flour, 150 ml lukewarm milk, 25 g yeast, 1 teaspoon of salt, 200 g sugar, 100 ml oil. for the cream: 5 heaping tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of cocoa; 1 tablespoon of vanilla sugar; 1 tablespoon of ground almonds; a little butter; 1 egg yolk for brushing.