Húsvéti Kalácskoszorú (Hungarian Easter Wreath)
A recipe for Húsvéti Kalácskoszorú (Hungarian Easter Wreath)! This stunning and fragrant pastry is filled with swirls of sweetened walnuts and baked until golden.
Servings 1 Wreath
Ingredients
Húsvéti Kalácskoszorú:
- 1 tablespoon (10 grams) active dry yeast
- 1 cup (240 milliliters) lukewarm milk 105-115˚F, 40-45˚C
- 4 cups (500 grams) bread flour
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 vanilla bean or 1 tablespoon vanilla sugar
- Zest from 1 lemon
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
Filling:
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 7 ounces (200 grams) walnuts finely chopped
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
Topping:
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) milk
Instructions
To make the dough:
- In a small bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the 1 cup (240 milliliters) milk and stir to combine. Allow to rest at room temperature until frothy 5-10 minutes.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or a large bowl. combine the flour, sugar, salt, seeds scraped from the vanilla bean, and lemon zest.
- Mix in the frothy yeast with the milk, egg, and melted butter to bring together the dough.
- On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until smooth and soft. If too sticky to handle, add a little more flour (just enough to bring together, don't add too much). If too dry and crumbly after kneading, add a splash of milk at a time.
- Transfer the dough to a large oiled bowl and cover. Allow to rest until doubled, 1 to 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease.
To make the filling and assemble:
- In a medium bowl, combine the finely chopped walnuts and sugar.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle, about 15 inches by 12 inches (38 centimeters by 30.5 centimeters).
- Brush the surface of the rectangle with melted butter. Spread evenly with a generous layer of the walnuts and sugar.
- Roll up the rectangle long side to long side and pinch together the seam to seal. Transfer the roll to the prepared baking sheet seam side down. Push together the ends, pinching the dough together to seal and form a circle.
- Make about 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) thick slices around the circle about 3/4 of the way towards the center. Take care not to cut all the way through to the interior of the circle. Gently turn each slice on its side in the same direction to show off the walnut swirl.
- Cover the pastry with a towel and allow to rest for 20 minutes, until slightly puffed.
- In a small bowl, beat together the egg and 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) milk until well combined. Brush over entire surface of the bread.
- Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, 20-30 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before transferring off of baking sheet.
- This bread is best the day it is made.