Kozunak
Bulgaria's traditional Easter bread - a soft, brioche-like sweet loaf braided and baked golden, studded with rum-soaked raisins and perfumed with lemon zest and vanilla - soaking the raisins in rum first, rather than adding them dry, is what keeps them plump and flavorful instead of drying out and turning tough inside the baked dough.
⏱ 180 min🍽 12 servings
dessertbakingvegetarian
Nutrition (per serving)
Estimated - not lab-measured
350 Calories8g Protein53g Carbs10g Fat
Ingredients
- •1/2 cup raisins
- •3 tbsp rum
- •1 cup warm milk
- •2 1/4 tsp yeast
- •1/2 cup sugar (for the dough)
- •5 cups flour
- •4 eggs
- •1/2 cup melted butter
- •1 tsp salt
- •1 tbsp lemon zest
- •1 tsp vanilla extract
- •1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
- •2 tbsp sugar (for topping)
Steps
- 1.Soak the raisins in the rum for at least 30 minutes, ideally 1-2 hours, so they plump up and stay soft and flavorful once baked into the dough.
- 2.Dissolve the yeast and 1 tbsp of the sugar in the warm milk and let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
- 3.In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, remaining sugar, and salt. Add the yeast mixture, 4 eggs, melted butter, lemon zest, and vanilla, and knead for 10-12 minutes until you have a smooth, elastic, slightly tacky dough.
- 4.Drain the raisins and knead them into the dough until evenly distributed.
- 5.Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1.5-2 hours, until doubled in size.
- 6.Punch down the dough, divide into 3 equal strands, and braid them together, tucking the ends underneath. Place in a greased loaf pan or on a baking sheet.
- 7.Cover and let rise again for 45-60 minutes, until puffy.