Poppy Seed Sweet Bread (Cozonac)

Name: Poppy Seed Sweet Bread (Cozonac)
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients: 600 g flour; 125 g butter; 120 ml sour cream; 50 ml milk; 70 ml water; 100 g sugar; 1 packet vanilla sugar; 4 egg yolks; 1 tablespoon oil; 1 vial vanilla extract; grated zest of one orange; 25 g fresh yeast; poppy seed filling; 300 g poppy seeds ground in coffee grinder; 1 cup milk; 3 tablespoons sugar (you can add more to taste); 1 packet vanilla sugar; 1 vial vanilla extract

December 21, 2000

Christmas Recipes Dough Easter Recipes Desserts

Recipe: Poppy Seed Sweet Bread (Cozonac)

Recipe from Maya, I didn't dare change it at all.

There are three secrets to a successful cozonac, in addition to a good recipe:

- prolonged kneading (at least 30 minutes by hand) until the dough has the consistency of an earlobe (don't laugh, that's how I tested it too, with one hand feeling the dough, with the other my earlobe until it seemed right); if you have a kneading machine it's even better, but it won't be as authentic 😋
- when you let it rise, cover it and place it in a draft-free spot (you can put it in an unheated oven for example)
- all ingredients should be at room temperature, otherwise the dough won't rise as nicely

Ingredients

600 g flour
125 g butter
120 ml sour cream
50 ml milk
70 ml water
100 g sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar
4 egg yolks
1 tablespoon oil
1 vial vanilla extract
grated zest of one orange
25 g fresh yeast

Poppy seed filling
300 g poppy seeds ground in coffee grinder
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons sugar (you can add more to taste)
1 packet vanilla sugar
1 vial vanilla extract

How to prepare poppy seed sweet bread (cozonac)

Dissolve the yeast in a little warm milk and let it foam for about 10 minutes.
Then knead a dough from all ingredients. Knead by hand for 30 minutes if you don't have a bread machine or kneading robot. Then cover the dough with plastic wrap or a towel and place in a warm, draft-free spot to rise for at least 1 hour.
While the dough rises, prepare the filling: cook the ingredients until the poppy seeds are soft (about 20 minutes). At the end add the vanilla extract.
When well risen, divide the dough in half. Roll out 2 sheets and spread each with the poppy seeds cooked in milk, then roll up. Braid the two resulting rolls together and place in a pan (mine was 26 cm in diameter). Let rise in the pan for about 30-45 minutes.
Brush the cozonac with egg yolk beaten with a little milk and decorate with sugar and poppy seeds.
Bake in the oven at 180°C until golden, about 50 minutes to 1 hour.