Croatian Walnut Swirl Bread (Povitica)

Name: Croatian Walnut Swirl Bread (Povitica)
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 8-10
Ingredients: 1 ⁄ 4 cup sugar; 3 ⁄ 4 cup milk, heated to 115°; 1 ⁄ 2 tbsp. kosher salt; 4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus more; 1 (1/4-oz.) package active dry yeast; 2 1 ⁄ 2 cups flour, plus more; 1 egg; 1 cup walnut halves, toasted; 1 ⁄ 2 cup sugar; 4 tbsp. unsalted butter; 2 tbsp. milk; 1 tsp. ground cinnamon; 2 egg whites

Serves
serves 8-10

PENNY DE LOS SANTOS

Sweet walnut paste is rolled into yeast dough in a recipe adapted from one at Toni's Country Kitchen in Laurium, Michigan. It first appeared in our October 2013 issue with the article Upper Crust.

Ingredients

FOR THE DOUGH

¹⁄₄ cup sugar
³⁄₄ cup milk, heated to 115°
¹⁄₂ tbsp. kosher salt
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus more
1 (1/4-oz.) package active dry yeast
2 ¹⁄₂ cups flour, plus more
1 egg

FOR THE FILLING

1 cup walnut halves, toasted
¹⁄₂ cup sugar
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 egg whites

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Instructions

Step 1

Make the dough: Combine yeast, 1 tbsp. sugar, and half the milk in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add remaining sugar and milk, plus salt, butter, and egg; blend. With the motor running, slowly add flour; beat until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap; set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Step 2

Make the filling: Purée walnuts, sugar, butter, milk, and cinnamon in a food processor into a smooth paste. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold in walnut paste.

Step 3

Grease a 9" x 5" x 2 3⁄4" loaf pan with butter. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 10" x 4" long oval about 1⁄16" thick. Spread dough with walnut mixture. Starting from one narrow end, roll dough into a tight cylinder. Trim ends and transfer to pan; set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Step 4

Heat oven to 350°. Bake until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool.

Make the dough: Combine yeast, 1 tbsp. sugar, and half the milk in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment; let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add remaining sugar and milk, plus salt, butter, and egg; blend. With the motor running, slowly add flour; beat until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap; set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Make the filling: Purée walnuts, sugar, butter, milk, and cinnamon in a food processor into a smooth paste. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; fold in walnut paste.
Grease a 9" x 5" x 2 3⁄4" loaf pan with butter. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 10" x 4" long oval about 1⁄16" thick. Spread dough with walnut mixture. Starting from one narrow end, roll dough into a tight cylinder. Trim ends and transfer to pan; set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350°. Bake until a toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool.