Kozunak (Bulgarian Easter Sweet Braided Bread)
A soft, golden, lightly citrus plaited loaf traditionally baked for Easter. Lovely torn warm with butter.
- Time3 hr 30
- LevelHard
- Costabout £0.48 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.
Estimated nutrition per serving
- 369kcal
- 57.7gcarbs
- 19.6gof which sugars
- 11.4gfat
- 5.5gsaturates
- 9.3gprotein
- 2.4gfibre
- 0.5gsalt
A rough estimate worked out from the ingredients, for the serving size above. It is a guide only and not medical advice. If you count carbs or manage diabetes, check with your own tools and your care team.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Mix the flour, yeast, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, butter, whole eggs, 1 yolk, citrus zest and vanilla and mix to a soft dough.
- 2
Knead for 10 minutes until smooth, springy and slightly tacky. Knead in the raisins. Cover and leave to rise for 1 hr 30 until doubled.
90 min - 3
Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces and roll each into a rope about 50 cm long. Plait them from the middle out, then tuck the ends under.
- 4
Lift the plait onto a lined baking tray, cover loosely and prove for 45 minutes until puffy.
45 min - 5
Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Beat the last yolk with a splash of milk, brush over the loaf and sprinkle with the sugar.
- 6
Bake for 35 minutes, covering with foil after 20 minutes if it browns too fast, until deep golden and hollow sounding on the base.
35 min - 7
Cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before slicing.
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.
