Einkorn Povitica | Potica Sweet Bread
 
 
This Einkorn Povitica Potica Sweet Bread utilizes an enriched dough that is rolled out or stretched really thin and then spread with ground nuts, cocoa, cinnamon sugar and a hint of ground coffee for added flavor. Prior to baking, it is brushed with melted butter and then sprinkled with a blend of ground coffee, cinnamon and sugar.
Author:
Recipe type: Yeasted Sweet Bread
Serves: 1 loaf
Ingredients
Dough:
  • 200 grams all-purpose einkorn flour
  • 85 grams whole grain einkorn flour milled on the pastry setting
  • ¼ tsp instant dry yeast
  • 100 grams milk (I used almond milk)
  • 35 grams brewed coffee, chilled
  • 5 grams salt
  • 1 large egg (60 g)
  • 50 grams sugar, divided (I used organic)
  • 22 grams unsalted butter melted and cooled, divided
Filling:
  • 280 grams walnuts, pecans, cashews (or nuts of your choice)
  • 95 grams sugar
  • ½ Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 4 grams cinnamon powder
  • 4 grams ground coffee
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 ½ tsp ground flaxseed meal
  • 58 grams unsalted butter
  • 60 grams milk (I used almond milk)
  • 1 large egg yolk (I omitted this)
  • ¼ tsp vanilla extract
For Topping:
  • 25 grams unsalted butter melted and cooled
  • Blend of ground coffee, sugar, cinnamon sprinkled on top before baking
Instructions
First, make the dough.
  1. In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, whisk together the flours and dry yeast. Then add the milk, water, brewed coffee, egg and salt.
  2. Mix the ingredients in the bowl until a fairly smooth and homogeneous dough is obtained.
  3. Add the sugar in two additions, kneading each time until it is fully integrated.
  4. Knead the dough until it is smooth and silky with at least a medium gluten development. Work in the butter in about three additions until smooth again.
  5. Knead for about 12-15 minutes to develop the gluten well and obtain an elastic, soft, and well-developed dough. It may be slightly sticky but should pass the windowpane test. If it does not, the final stretching will not be possible without tearing.
  6. When the dough is properly developed, form into a ball and place in a lightly oiled bowl.
  7. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until it doubles its volume. This can take up to three hours.
Make the filling while the dough is rising.
  1. In a food processor or coffee grinder, add nuts together with sugar, cinnamon, salt, cocoa powder, and coffee grounds. Blend until the nuts are finely chopped and transfer to a bowl.
  2. In a saucepan or microwave, heat the milk along with the butter until it just boils. Remove from the heat.
  3. Pour the milk into the nut mixture. Add the vanilla and the egg yolk and mix until completely homogenized.
  4. Set aside at room temperature, covered, until ready to fill the povitica.
Stretching the dough:
  1. Lay out a sheet or cloth on a wide, flat surface.
  2. Sprinkle the work surface very lightly with flour. (I used all purpose einkorn.)
  3. Turn out the dough and de-gas it gently.
  4. Roll the dough out into a very thin rectangle with a rolling pin, then continue to carefully stretch with hand to about 25½x18-in. (65 x 45 cm) rectangle. (The dough should be about three times as long as your pan. Very gently and slowly work the dough with your hands, stretching from the center to the edges. It should remain soft and elastic and stretch without tearing as long as the gluten was developed and the process is taken slowly.
Spread the filling.
  1. Drop spoonfuls of the filling evenly across the dough. Using an offset spatula and/or your hands, spread and distribute the filling evenly across the dough to all but one long edge that will seal after rolling. The filling may be dense so just go slowly and try not to stretch or tear the dough.
Roll up the dough.
  1. Starting with the long edge that has filling to the edge, roll the dough on itself making sure that there is no gap between each layer. Start at one end and just turn up the edge all the way across. Then continue to roll from edge to edge carefully and with the help of both hands.
  2. Once the entire sheet is rolled up, carefully pinch and seal the long edge.
  3. Shape the roll into an S and place it into the pan. It will take two hands, scoop in from the ends and carefully lift into the pan. (Other shaping methods including rolling up in a circle like a snail and baking in an earthenware baker, or cutting the roll into sections and lining them up in the loaf pan. Using sections and a smaller loaf tin will yield a taller loaf.)
  4. Cover with plastic and let the dough rise until the dough has puffed up somewhat. This will be most evident looking at the ends of the dough to see any increase in size. Again, this can take 1-3 hours.
Bake povitica.
  1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
  2. Brush the top of the loaf with half of the butter and sprinkle the crunch topping over the top of the loaf, if desired. Then place in the center of the oven.
  3. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 300ºF and leave for 45 minutes more. The total baking time is 60 minutes. *See notes.
  4. Remove from the oven and brush with the remaining butter, if desired.
  5. Let it rest in the pan for 20 minutes. Then turn out the loaf and allow to cool completely on a rack. Dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Notes
The ideal pan size for this dough is 10 x 4 x 3 inches (25 x 11 x 7 cm), but a 9x5 or 8x4 inch pan will work.

If you omit the egg in the filling, you can probably reduce the baking time. I baked it the entire hour and it was a bit dry.

This loaf should ideally be cut from the bottom to keep the outside edges/top from crumbling.

This loaf will keep for 4-5 days in a sealed bag or a week in the refrigerator. It may also be frozen in portions.
Recipe by Bread Experience at https://www.breadexperience.com/einkorn-povitica-potica-sweet-bread/