Romanian Walnut Panetone (Cozonaci cu nuca)

Preparation Time:  75 minutes
Cooking Time:  45-55 minutes

Ingredients

2 lbs/1 kg flour,
10 oz/300 g sugar,
1 1/2 cups milk,
6 eggs,
2 oz/50 g yeast,
7 oz/200 g butter,
2 tablespoons oil,
vanilla stick,
salt,
egg for washing the dough,
grease for the pans.


Make a starter from yeast and a teaspoon of sugar. Mix until the consistency of sour cream, add 2-3 tablespoons tepid milk, a little flour and mix well; sprinkle some flour on top, cover and let sit in a warm place to rise. Boil the milk with the vanilla stick (cut in very small pieces) and leave it on the side of the range, covered, to keep warm.

Mix the yolks with the sugar and salt, then slowly pour the tepid milk, stirring continuously. Place the risen starter in a large bowl and pour, stirring continuously, the yolk-milk mixture and some flour, a little at a time. Then add 3 whipped egg whites. When you finish this step, start kneading. Knead, adding melted butter combined with oil, a little at a time, until the dough starts to easily come off your palms. Cover with a cloth and then something thicker (like a blanket).
Leave in a warm place to triple in bulk. If during kneading the dough seems too hard, you may add a little milk. If, on the contrary, the dough seems too soft, you may add a little flour.