Slovenian Walnut Strudel ~ POTICA

INGREDIENTS

½ cup sugar

1 package of yeast

1 cup lukewarm milk

3 ½ cups flour

1 tsp salt

2 egg yolks

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp brandy

Rind of 1 lemon (grated)

T tbsp melted butter

1 egg yolk beaten for wash

Walnut filling

 1 cup ground walnuts (substitute with ground poppy seeds)

¾ cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 tbsp rum

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ cup of milk

3 tbsp melted butter

Optional: grated lemon rind of 1 lemon, ½ cup raisins

DIRECTIONS

Mix 2 tsp of sugar with yeast to 4 tbps of milk, set aside until creamy and frothy.

Place flour and salt in a large bowl making a well in the center.  Pour in the yeast mixture and stir gently.  Beat egg yolks, balance of sugar, vanilla, oil, rum and lemon rind. Stir in balance of milk and melted butter.  Pour into the bowl and mix with yeast mixture.  Gradually stir in the flour until it mixes into the dough; then mix by hand until all the dough gives way from the bowl. (You can add more flour as you wish but do remember the more flour you use the more of a bread like texture your strudel will have; we prefer ours light and fluffy.  Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic.  Return the dough into the bowl, cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place to rise until it has doubled in size – about 1 to 1 ½ hrs.

Meanwhile, mix ground walnuts with sugar, vanilla, rum, lemon rind and cinnamon and milk.

Punch down dough by kneading it for a short time.  On a floured surface; roll down the dough into a rectangle to a thickness of about a 1/3 of an inch.

Spread the walnut mixture all over the dough then drizzle with melted butter.  You can sprinkle raisins on top if you wish.  Roll the dough firm and tuck under the ends and place on parchment paper lined baking sheet.  Cover with a cloth and let rise for 1 to 1 ½ hours. 

Preheat oven to 350F. Brush with egg yolk wash, bake for 30 to 40 minutes until golden brown.  Sprinkle with icing sugar, cut into slices and enjoy! We topped ours with golden Turbinado sugar prior to baking.

Variations to baking method:

Bake in a loaf pan

Bake in a bundt pan

Shape into a U shape