Mucenici - Romanian Sweet Roll with Walnuts and Honey

FOR THE DOUGH:

4 cups All-purpose flour(sifted)

2 Large Eggs

1 Cup Milk

1/2 Stick Butter(melted but cool)

4 Tbsp. Granulated Sugar

1 Lemon Zest

1 Orange Zest

3 Tbsp. Dry Yeast

1 Tsp. Kosher Salt

WALNUT FILLING:

2.5 Cups Ground Walnuts

7 Tbsp. Powdered Sugar

6 Tbsp. Milk

1 Ts. Vanilla Extract

SYRUP:

1 1/2 Cups water

3/4 Cups Sugar

1 Lemon Zest

1 Orange Zest

1 Vanilla Pod

DECORATION:

1/2 Cup Honey

3/4 Cup Walnuts

To prepare the dough:

In a little bowl dissolve the yeast in half of the milk. Add a teaspoon of sugar to the mixture. The milk has to be lukewarm, not hot.

Set aside and let it rise for 15 minutes.

In a bowl add the sifted flour.

Start mixing the flour on low speed, using a spiral dough hook attachment. One by one add the yeast, eggs, melted butter, sugar, lemon and orange zest, vanilla and a pinch of salt.

While the dough is kneaded, add slowly the lukewarm milk until you form a dough.

Let the machine knead the dough for about 7 to 10 minutes until you obtain a smooth, elastic dough that doesn't stick to the bowl or your hands.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and let it rise for an hour or until it doubles in volume.

When the dough rised, place the dough on the working table and flatten it slightly.

Cut the dough in 15-20 equal pieces. You can cut it in 8-10 pieces, for bigger size pastries.

Shape every piece into a ball and if necessary weigh them to make sure they are the same size.

Place them on the table and cover them with plastic wrap.

Take one ball, shape it into a roll, flatten it with your hands and stretch it with a roller pin. It should be about 10 inches long and about 2-3 inches wide.

Add the walnut paste at the edge of the dough, on an even layer and roll it gently to form a roll.

Bring the ends of the roll together and form a ring. Twist the ring in the middle to form an eight.

Place the pastry on a parchment paper lined baking tray.

Continue to shape the rest of the dough. When finished, let the pastries rise again on the tray for about 20-30 minutes.

After the dough is risen, brush them with the beaten egg.

Bake them 20 minutes at 350F.

Remove them from the oven and place them on a cooling rack.

Meanwhile, prepare the syrup by placing the water in a saucepan together with sugar, orange and lemon zest and the vanilla pod. Bring to a boil and simmer the syrup for about 5 minutes.

Remove the syrup from the stove, strain it and place it in a clean bowl.

Soak each pastry in the hot syrup for 10 seconds on each side, remove and place them back on the cooling rack.

Glazing the pastry:

Place the honey in the microwave for a short 10 seconds to make it more fluid.

Brush each pastry on the surface with honey and dip them in the ground walnuts.