A rich, sweet brioche-like bread braided with care, flavored with vanilla, lemon zest, and rum-soaked raisins. Bulgaria's beloved Easter bread, golden and impossibly soft.
Instructions
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1
Dissolve yeast in warm milk with a pinch of sugar. Let it foam for 10 minutes to confirm the yeast is active.
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2
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the yeast mixture, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Knead for 15 minutes until smooth and elastic.
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3
Gradually work in softened butter, kneading until the dough is silky, supple, and pulls away cleanly from the bowl. This takes patience.
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4
Fold in drained rum-soaked raisins. Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place for 1.5-2 hours until doubled in size.
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5
Divide dough into three equal pieces, roll each into a long rope, and braid them together. Place in a buttered loaf pan or shape into a round on a baking sheet.
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6
Let the braided loaf rise for another 45 minutes. Brush with egg yolk wash and bake at 170C for 35-40 minutes until deeply golden. The bread should sound hollow when tapped on the bottom.
Did You Know?
Bulgarian families compete fiercely over whose kozunak is softest, and the ideal kozunak should be so tender that it can be pulled apart in cotton-like strands.
The Story Behind Козунак
Kozunak arrived in Bulgaria through connections with Greek tsoureki and Romanian cozonac, all descendants of enriched celebration breads found across the Eastern Mediterranean. In Bulgaria, it became inseparable from Easter traditions, baked on Holy Saturday and blessed at church on Easter morning. The quality of the kozunak reflects a household's baking skill, making it a point of considerable pride.
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