Recipe: Potica (St. Anthony Croatian Church Women's Guild)

POTICA

FOR THE DOUGH:
1 cup milk, hot
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tsp salt
2 pkg active dry yeast
1/4 cup -warm water (105 degrees F)
2 eggs
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, unsifted, divided use
FOR THE FILLING:
3 eggs
4 cups walnuts, finely chopped
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup butter or margarine; melted (plus additional for brushing top)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla

TO MAKE THE DOUGH:
Stir white sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and salt into hot milk; cool to lukewarm. (A drop sprinkled on wrist will not feel hot.)

Sprinkle yeast over warm water in large bowl; stir to dissolve. Stir in lukewarm milk mixture.

Add 2 eggs and 2 1/2 cups flour; beat at high speed with electric mixer.

With a wooden spoon gradually beat in remaining 2 cups flour. Knead with hand until dough is stiff enough to leave side of bowl. Place dough in lightly greased large bowl. Turn the dough over to bring up greased side. Cover with a towel; let rise in warm place (85 degrees F) free from drafts until double in bulk about 1 hour.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:
In medium bowl, beat 3 eggs slightly; add nuts, brown sugar, 1/3 cup butter, cinnamon, and vanilla. Stir filling to blend well.

TO SHAPE AND BAKE:
Shape dough; punch down dough. On lightly floured surface turn out dough; cover with bowl and allow to rest for 10 minutes.

Roll out to a rectangle 30 inches long by 20 inches wide. Spread with filling to 1 inch from the edge. Starting from wide side roll up tightly as for jelly roll. With palms of hands roll back and forth so that roll is even all over.

On large greased cookie sheet form roll into a large coil seam side down. Let rise in warm place (85 F) covered with towel free from drafts until double in bulk about 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and brush the roll with the melted butter.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes until golden. Cool on wire rack.

To serve, sllice crosswise 1/4 inch thick.

Makes 1 (4 pound) loaf
Adapted from source: Cathy Arkovich from Our Favorite Recipes by St. Anthony Croatian Church Women's Guild