Romanian Nut Roll (Kifla)

Delicious yeast bread with sweet walnut filling. From Bless the Food and Drink of Your Servants, St. Michael Romanian Byzantine Catholic Church 80th Anniversary Cookbook. Aurora, IL, 1988.

• Ready In: 3 hrs 40 mins
• Serves: 16
• Yields: 4 loaves

Ingredients

• Dough

• 4 1⁄2 teaspoons active dry yeast (2 packets)
• 1⁄2 cup  lukewarm milk
• 1⁄2 cup sugar, plus
• 1  teaspoon sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla
• 6  cups flour
• 1  cup butter
• 3  eggs
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 pint sour cream

• Filling

• 1  lb walnuts, ground
• 1  cup white sugar
• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions

1. Mix ingredients for filling, set aside.
2. In another bowl, mix yeast, milk, 1 teaspoon sugar, and vanilla together and set aside for about 10 minutes.
3. In a third bowl, mix flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Cut in butter until mixture resembles course crumbs.
4. Add eggs, salt and sour cream, then add yeast mixture, mix and knead well until dough is shiny (about 15 minutes).
5. Divide into 4 balls. Roll out each ball to about 9" x 13" and spoon 1/4 of the nut filling over each.
6. Starting at the narrow end, roll dough into a loaf. Pinch the ends and fold them under. With the seam side down, let loaves rise in greased pan for 2 hours.
7. Brush with beaten egg and bake at 350 for 35 to 40 minutes.