Cozonac cu rahat / Sweet bread with Turkish delight

Cozonacii cu rahat sunt preferatii sotului si pentru ca nu concepem sarbatorile fara cozonac, ii facem in fiecare an, de Paste si Craciun :) Nu e deloc greu sa faci cozonaci, iti trebuie doar ingrediente de calitate la temperatura camerei, forta sa ii framanti si o stare Zen :D

Ingrediente:

• 1 kg faina alba
• 500ml lapte 3.5%
• 250g unt 80%
• 50g drojdie proaspata (sau 2 pliculete de drojdie uscata)
• 300g zahar brun nerafinat
• 5 oua de tara
• coaja rasa de la 1 lamaie
• 1 pastaie de vanilie
• 1 lg esenta de rom
• 250g rahat turcesc

In bucataria incalzita cernem faina cu un praf de sare intr-un bol mare si uscat. Pregatim maiaua: inmuiem drojdia cu 2 linguri de lapte si o lingurita de faina, pana obtinem o pasta pe care o lasam 10-15 min, pana se umfla si face bule :) Separat batem spuma ouale cu zaharul si un praf de sare, adaugam coaja de lamaie, semintele de la pastaia de vanilie si romul.

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Punem maiaua in faina si amestecam bine, adaugand treptat si alternativ amestecul de oua si laptele caldut. Apoi adaugam tot putin cate putin untul topit. Framantam aluatul bine de tot pana devine moale si pufos. Il lasam sa creasca 1 ora intr-un loc cald, acoperit cu un prosop.

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Impartim aluatul in 3 bucati le intindem usor cu mana pe o suprafata bine unsa cu ulei, presaram rahatul tocat cubulete si le rasucim. Punem cozonacii in forme de chec unse cu unt, ii ungem cu un galbenus, ii intepam si presaram putin zahar deasupra. Ii mai lasam 30 min sa creasca, apoi Ii coacem cam 45 de min la foc mediu (170C), pana trec testul scobitorii si se rumenesc frumos. Pofta mare!

ENGLISH VERSION 

This year for Easter I tried to make Romanian sweet bread, for the first time in my life. I followed my grandma’s recipe, because she makes the best sweet bread ever! So fluffy with lots of walnut filling, just perfect :) I was so happy to make ones exactly the same, tasting like childhood memories :)

Ingredients:

• 1 kg all purpose flour
• 500 ml full fat milk
• 250 g butter (80% fat)
• 50 g fresh yeast (or 2 sachets of dry yeast)
• 300 g brown unrefined sugar
• 5 free range eggs
• grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 vanilla bean
• 1 tbsp rum essence
• 250g turkish delight

In a warm kitchen sift the flour with a pinch of salt in a large dry bowl. Prepare the yeast mixture: smash the yeast with a fork and combine with 2 tablespoons of milk and 1 teaspoon of flour, then let it sit for 10-15 min, until it becomes fluffy and bubbly :) Separately beat the eggs with the sugar and a pinch of salt, then add the finely grated lemon zest, seeds from the vanilla bean and rum.

Place the yeast mixture in the center of the flour and start kneading, gradually adding the egg mixture and lukewarm milk. Then gradually add the melted butter. Knead the dough until soft and fluffy, then cover the bowl with a cloth and let it sit in a warm place for about 1 hour or until it doubles it’s volume.

Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Flatten the dough with your hand on a well oiled up surface, spread the chopped Turkish delight and roll the sweet bread. Place the rolls in rectangular pans greased with butter, spread an egg yolk on them, sprinkle a little bit of sugar and let them sit for another 30 min. Bake for about 45 min at medium heat (170 C), until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and they turn golden brown. Enjoy!