Fasting cozonac with prunes and Turkish delight

Name: Fasting cozonac with prunes and Turkish delight
Ingredients: 1 kg bread flour; 2 packets dry yeast; 275 g sugar; 600 ml orange Fanta or mineral water; 185 ml oil; 1 orange (zest); 1 lemon (zest); 5 ml vanilla extract; 350 g Turkish delight; 250 g pitted dried prunes; 15 ml oil; 15 ml water; 1 tablespoon honey

Dessert - Fasting cozonac with prunes and Turkish delight by Nora F. - Recipia

Fasting cozonac with prunes and Turkish delight, a Romanian sweet bread, is served at holiday meals; the orange juice dough turns out soft, with prunes and Turkish delight in every slice. I prefer to cut thick slices, so you can really see the filling. Preparation: 45 minutes. Cooking: 45 minutes. Resting: 3 hours. Total time: 4 hours and 30 minutes. Servings: 16. Approximately 530 kcal and 7 g protein per serving.

Ingredients

1 kg bread flour
2 packets dry yeast
275 g sugar
600 ml orange Fanta or mineral water
185 ml oil
1 orange (zest)
1 lemon (zest)
5 ml vanilla extract
350 g Turkish delight
250 g pitted dried prunes
15 ml oil
15 ml water
1 tablespoon honey

Preparation

1. Leave the flour, sugar, oil and flavorings at room temperature. Sift the flour into a large bowl and mix it with the dry yeast and sugar. 2. Heat the orange juice or mineral water for about 2 minutes, until warm but not hot. Cut the Turkish delight into pieces; you can leave the prunes whole or cut them. Allow about 45 minutes in total for preparation and shaping. 3. Make a well in the flour and pour in the warm liquid and flavorings. Start kneading, then gradually add 185 ml of oil. Once it is mixed in, gather the dough towards the center and slap it against the bowl 15-20 times. It should remain soft and slightly sticky. 4. Cover the bowl with a towel and leave the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 hour and 30 minutes, until visibly risen. 5. Divide the dough into four pieces. Grease the work surface with 15 ml of oil and use your hands to stretch each piece into a rectangle. Put Turkish delight on each piece, and add prunes to two of them. Roll up the pieces and twist them together in pairs to form two cozonac loaves. 6. Place them in baking tins lined with baking paper and leave to rise for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180°C. 7. Brush the cozonac with the remaining oil and bake for 45 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. If they brown too quickly, cover them loosely with baking paper. 8. Mix the honey with 15 ml of water and brush the cozonac as soon as you take them out of the tins. Cover them with a towel and leave to cool for 1 hour, turning them onto each side.

Notes

Very dry prunes can be cut into pieces, while softer ones can be left whole. With mineral water, the cozonac won’t have the orange flavor the juice gives it. I made one smaller loaf with Turkish delight only, and filled the other with prunes too; I’m still amazed at how fluffy it can be without milk, eggs or butter. The slices look like those of regular cozonac, though the crumb is moister. I serve them after the main course, and if you reduce the quantities, keep the same proportion of filling to dough. They keep well covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; wheat flour contains gluten. I like serving it with black tea.

Frequently asked questions

Why does the dough stay slightly sticky?

For 1 kg of flour, the 600 ml of liquid makes a soft dough. Don’t add extra flour just to stop it sticking a little to your hands.

How warm should the juice be?

Heat it to about 35°C. If it feels hot to the touch, let it cool a little before pouring it over the flour.

Can I use fresh yeast instead of dry yeast?

Yes, you can use 42 g of fresh yeast instead of the two packets of dry yeast.

What can I use instead of prunes?

Use 250 g of raisins instead of the prunes. If they’re very dry, soak them in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain them well before placing them on the dough.

How do I stop the filling from coming out of the ends of the rolls?

Leave about 2 cm clear at the ends of each piece of dough and roll it up tightly.