Walnut Bread (cozonac cu nuca)

Oh let me tell you this is a treat. Again this is a favorite at every Christmas or Easter.  This is my mother in law's recipe and it is the best. It may seem like it's a lot of work, but trust me when I tell you it is worth it.  This recipe makes 3 loaves. It will take you about 4 hours to make and that includes the time it takes for the dough to rise.  This recipe works best with fresh yeast, again here in Calgary I find it at Superstore, but you have to go to one of the bakers and ask them for fresh yeast.  Here are all the ingredients you will need:

• 60 gr of fresh yeast
• 250 gr of chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1 kg white flour
• 300 gr sugar
• 5 eggs
• 500 ml milk
• 250 gr butter
• vanilla extract or vanilla powder
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup of oil
• zest from one lemon

I usually start by adding the sugar to the milk and the lemon zest then I warm it up.  Do not boil it, it just needs to be hot.  Meanwhile, I take the yeast and mix it with 2 tbsp of warm milk, 2 tbsp of sugar and 1 tbsp of flour and mix it well.  Let it rest, if the yeast is fresh you will see the mixture rise.  Leave it for about ten minutes.  In a big bowl add the flour and if you're using vanilla powder add it to the flour otherwise add it to the milk mixture.  Add 5 egg yolks (the whites will be used for the pecan cream) to the milk mixture and mix well.  Next I usually use my kitchen aid mixer with the dough attachment.  Add the flour to the bowl of the mixture then the milk mixture and add the yeast mixture as well and add the melted butter.  Mix well for a few minutes.  In the old days you'd have to knead this by hand for at least half hour.  The  more it mixes the fluffier the dough will be.  Add the raisins and mix well.  Let the dough rise for an hour or two until it doubles in size.

In the meantime, in a food processor add the pecans or walnuts, add 5 more tablespoons of sugar and the 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder and mix.  In the mixer put the egg whites and mix until stiff then add the pecan mixture and mix.  Put this mixture in the fridge.  After the dough has risen, divide it in 3 pieces. On a big surface where you can work the dough, oil the surface, we will not use flour here, oil works better.  Take one piece and roll out and then add a third of the pecan mixture to the dough and roll it out.  Put each roll in a buttered bread pan and let rise again until doubled in size.  Next make an egg wash and wash each bread with egg then sprinkle some sugar over each loaf.  Bake at 350  degrees for about 35-45 minutes.  Let cool completely before cutting into this.  Trust me all this work is so worth it.  Not only will it look beautiful but it will make your house smell wonderful.  Enjoy!