Braided Sweet Bread with Creamy Cheese Filling

The combination of fluffy dough and vanilla-scented cheese cream is truly hard to refuse. I didn't make cozonac for Easter, and it stayed on my mind... so this weekend I will finally satisfy that craving. I really loved this combination and couldn't wait to share it with you! First, we prepare the cozonac dough and let it rise, then we deal with the filling. For the dough we need: 300g flour, 100ml milk, 2 tablespoons sugar, 2 eggs, 30g melted butter, 10g yeast, a pinch of salt. *Extra tip: My grandma's secret is to add a pinch of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of vinegar. This way you'll get a cozonac as fluffy as a sponge. Mix the yeast with a little sugar and 2 tablespoons of warm milk, then leave it aside for 5 minutes in a warm place. Sift the flour, add the salt, sugar, baking powder, and vinegar. Pour the yeast and warm milk mixture over it, then knead for 5 minutes. Combine the eggs with the melted butter and knead until it is completely absorbed by the dough. Let the dough rise for at least 1 hour at room temperature (it must double in volume). We will make the filling with: 300g drained cottage cheese, cranberries/raisins (optional), 70g sugar, 2 eggs, 20g butter, vanilla, a pinch of salt, 3 tablespoons semolina. We mix the whole composition in a bowl until smooth and leave it in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. Roll out 2 sheets of dough and fill them with the cheese cream. Braid the cozonac, brush it with egg, and let it rise in a warm place for another 20 minutes. I had some dough and cheese left over, from which I made 3 little pies. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 180 degrees, without convection. After taking it out of the oven, leave it in the pan for about 15 minutes, then remove it so it doesn't get damp from condensation. I snuck a little bite while it was still warm, but no one noticed. Enjoy, my dears! ## Source: Facebook (2020-04-25) #Cozonac umplut cu brânză cremoasă . Because I didn't know if I was craving cozonac or pască more, I made both. In the same pan 🙈 Although I am sure you have guessed how it's made, I am still leaving the step-by-step recipe on the blog 💌, where you will also find a little secret for extra fluffy cozonac learned from my grandma 👵🏻💕 ! https://anamariagateste.blogspot.com/2020/04/cozonac-umplut-cu-branza.html?m=1 #romaniansweet #sweetpictures #delicious #dolcevita #sweetsin #filled with #cheese #fullofflavour #creamy #chocolate #anamariagateste