Cozonac (Romanian Walnut and Cocoa Sweet Bread)
Rich, buttery yeast bread twisted around a dark walnut and cocoa filling. A Romanian Christmas and Easter table favourite.
- Time2 hr 30
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £0.64 a head
- Oven180°C (160°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Mix the flour, yeast, 100 g sugar and salt. Add the warm milk, egg yolks, butter, lemon zest and vanilla. Knead for 10 minutes to a smooth, slightly tacky dough. Cover and leave for 1 hour until doubled.
60 min - 2
Warm the filling milk with the 100 g sugar until dissolved. Stir in the ground walnuts, cocoa and a pinch of vanilla to make a thick, spreadable paste. Cool.
- 3
Grease and line a 900 g loaf tin. Roll the dough to a rectangle about 35 x 45 cm. Spread the filling over it, leaving a small border, and roll up tightly from a long side.
- 4
Cut the roll lengthways down the middle, leaving 1 cm uncut at one end. Lay the two strands cut sides up and twist them together. Lower into the tin, cover and leave for 45 minutes until puffy.
45 min - 5
Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Brush the top with the egg glaze and bake for 45 to 50 minutes until deep golden, covering with foil if it browns too fast. A skewer should come out clean.
47 min 30 s - 6
Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out. Slice when cool. The loaf keeps well for 3 days.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
