Bulgarian Easter Bread (Kozunak) Recipe

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Bulgarian Easter Bread (Kozunak)
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Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 tbsp yeast
  • 1 1/2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/3 cups warmed milk
  • 1 1/2 cups raisins
  • 3/4 cup rum
  • 5 lbs flour (you may not use it all)
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups milk
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 11 eggs
  • 1 cup almonds or 1 cup hazelnuts or 1 cup walnuts , are fine too

Directions:

  1. Mix first five ingredients (yeast, small amount sugar, salt, one egg, warm milk) in a large bowl.
  2. Cover and leave in a warm place for 40 minutes.
  3. Put raisins in rum to cover, and set aside to soak.
  4. Grate and juice the lemons.
  5. Set aside.
  6. Sift 4 of the five pounds of flour onto a large tray or other work surface.
  7. (You can estimate- does not need to be precise.).
  8. Melt butter and combine with oil.
  9. Heat 2 cups of milk and sugar on low in a small saucepan until warm.
  10. Separate 4 of the eggs; set aside the yolks for brushing.
  11. Beat the whites with the other 7 eggs.
  12. Add a handful of the flour from the work surface to the warm yeast mixture.
  13. Bit by bit, mix in with a spoon the rest of the flour, the milk mixture, the beaten eggs and the butter/oil mixture.
  14. When most of it is together, mix in the lemon juice and zest, and the vanilla.
  15. Adding more flour to the work surface if necessary, dump out the dough and knead until it holds together well.
  16. Let the dough rest in a warm place until double in bulk (1-2 hours).
  17. You may need to divide between two bowls.
  18. Punch down and knead the dough.
  19. Drain the raisins and dredge in flour.
  20. Work about half of them into the dough as you knead, a few at a time.
  21. Let the dough sit and rise again (another 1-2 hours).
  22. Preheat oven to 425 (400 if your oven runs hot).
  23. Punch down and knead again.
  24. Divide the dough into 8 parts.
  25. Each of these, divide into three parts; roll them long and braid into a single loaf.
  26. While braiding, work the remainder of the raisins between the strands.
  27. Brush the loaves with the reserved egg yolk and stud the top with nuts.
  28. Bake the loaves about 30 minutes or until golden brown.
  29. (We usually did about 3 loaves at a time.) You can also use the dough to make smaller rolls, if you prefer; bake for proportionally less time.
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Nutrition Facts

Per ServingPer 100 g
Amount Per 1 Serving
Calories 3737.58 Kcal (15648 kJ)
Calories from fat 1413.64 Kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 157.07g 242%
Cholesterol 556.13mg 185%
Sodium 9501.33mg 396%
Potassium 2241.24mg 48%
Total Carbs 491.93g 164%
Sugars 75.12g 300%
Dietary Fiber 49.3g 197%
Protein 81.37g 163%
Vitamin C 18.5mg 31%
Vitamin A 0.3mg 9%
Iron 29mg 161%
Calcium 1509mg 151%
Amount Per 100 g
Calories 309.95 Kcal (1298 kJ)
Calories from fat 117.23 Kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13.03g 242%
Cholesterol 46.12mg 185%
Sodium 787.93mg 396%
Potassium 185.86mg 48%
Total Carbs 40.8g 164%
Sugars 6.23g 300%
Dietary Fiber 4.09g 197%
Protein 6.75g 163%
Vitamin C 1.5mg 31%
Iron 2.4mg 161%
Calcium 125.1mg 151%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Find out how many calories should you eat.

Tastes

  • salty
  • savory
  • bitter
  • sweet
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Recipe Tags

Weightwatchers Points

  • 87
    Points
  • 97
    PointsPlus

Good Points

  • saturated fat free,
  • good source of fiber

Bad Points

  • High in Sodium,
  • High in Sugar,
  • High in Total Fat

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