Ingredients
Dry yeast 9active) 1 package
Sugar cup
Milk (warm) 1 cup
Butter (unsalted) 8 tablespoons or 1 stick
Egg (medium) 1 number
Lemon zest 1 number
Salt teaspoon
Flour 4 cups
Walnut Paste required quantity
Walnuts 4 cups
Sugar 1/2 cup
Cocoa or cinnamon (ground) 1 teaspoons
Cognac 2 tablespoons
Hot milk 1/3 cup
Whole egg (beaten) 1 number
Method of Preparation
Take a small bowl and add 1/3 cup of the warm milk. Add a pinch of sugar and yeast over the surface of the milk. Stir well to get the sugar and yeast dissolved and allow to stand at room temperature until frothy.
The mixture will get frothy in about ten minutes. Beat butter and sugar together until fluffy either with a wooden spoon in a large bowl or in a work bowl of a heavy-duty electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Now add egg and beat vigorously without gap for 1 minute. Now add the yeast mixture and beat in.
Add the remaining 2/3 cup milk, the lemon zest, salt, and 1 cup of the flour and mix well. Add the remaining flour, half cups full at a time and beat to mix well till you get soft dough that doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl. Sprinkle flour lightly on a work surface and transfer the dough to the work surface.
Knead the dough over the work surface for about 3 minutes, dusting with flour only 1 tablespoon at a time as needed to prevent sticking, till you get a smooth, soft and non-sticky dough. Transfer the dough to a deep greased container.
Turn the whole of dough once so as to get the coat on all sides and keep wrapped with plastic wrap. Allow the dough to remain for 4 to 6 hours for rising at cool room temperature for 4 to 6 hours. Deflate the risen portion once or twice intermittently and keep in refrigerator overnight.
Finally deflate the dough gently once and transfer the dough to a floured work surface and divide into 4 equal portions. With each portion make out a thick rectangle and place over sparingly floured parchment paper. After covering the dough loosely with a clean tea towel, allow it to stand undisturbed for 30 minutes.
To make the filling, use a food processor fitted with the metal blade for mixing sugar, cinnamon and walnuts. Grind the contents finely and add the cognac and milk and, with the motor running, pour the mixture through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream, processing until a thick, spreadable paste is formed.
Lightly flour a work surface and keep the rolling pin floured to minimize sticking.
Now roll out or pat out each dough portion into a 13-by-7-inch rectangle for about 1/8 inch in thickness. Distribute th portion of the nut-paste over the surface of each rectangle evenly.
Starting from the long side, working with one rectangle at a time, fold over into a 2-inch section. Continue folding the dough the same manner to get a flat, oval and a long log of dough. With your fingers, pinch the seams on the folds and place the dough with its seam side facing down over a greased baking sheet, fitting all 4 rolls in the same greased baking sheet.
Bake at 350F for 30 to 45 minutes until the roll turn to golden brown in colour. Remove and allow to cool. If desired, sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar while hot.