Romanian Cozonac with Walnuts and Cocoa Swirl

In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and active dry yeast. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.

Add the flour, egg yolks, melted butter, vanilla extract, and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix until a shaggy dough forms, then knead on a lightly floured surface for 10-15 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1-1.5 hours, or until doubled in size.

While the dough rises, prepare the filling: In a small bowl, combine the chopped walnuts, cocoa powder, and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Set aside.

Once the dough has risen, punch it down gently and divide it into two equal portions. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each portion into a rectangle approximately 12x8 inches.

Spread half of the walnut-cocoa filling evenly over each dough rectangle, leaving a small border. Roll each rectangle tightly from the long side to form a log. Gently twist the two logs together to create a braided effect.

Carefully transfer the twisted dough into a greased 9x5 inch loaf pan. Cover loosely and let rise again in a warm place for 30-45 minutes, or until visibly puffy.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Brush the top of the cozonac with the beaten egg white. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until golden brown and a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil.

Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.