No One Believed I Made This Sweet Bread with Walnuts and Cocoa at Home

walnuts

🥗Healthier: almonds

💰Cheaper: sunflower seeds

Almonds provide healthy fats, while sunflower seeds are budget-friendly.

butter

🥗Healthier: coconut oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Coconut oil offers a dairy-free option, while margarine is often less expensive.

sugar

🥗Healthier: honey

💰Cheaper: brown sugar

Honey is a natural sweetener, while brown sugar can be more affordable.

milk

🥗Healthier: almond milk

💰Cheaper: water

Almond milk is lower in calories, while water can reduce costs.

Mix yeast with warm milk and sugar in a bowl until foamy, about 5-10 minutes.

Combine flour and salt in a large mixing bowl.

Add eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and the yeast mixture to the flour.

Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.

Cover the dough and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.

Prepare the filling by mixing ground walnuts, cocoa powder, sugar, and lemon and orange zest in a bowl.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface into a rectangle.

Spread the walnut filling evenly over the dough.

Roll the dough tightly into a log, then twist to form a braid.

Place the braided dough into a greased loaf pan.

Cover and let rise again until puffy, about 30-45 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).

Bake the cozonac for 30-40 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Cooking Techniques

Spice Level:

Allergens