Potica

 Ingredients for the Dough

• 625g plain flour

• 50g white sugar

• 1 ½ tsps active dry yeast

• 60ml milk, lukewarm

• 225g butter, softened

• 6 the yolk of one large

• 360ml  milk

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 teaspoons olive oil, or as needed

 Ingredients for the Filling

• 225ml butter, melted

• 340g honey

• 300g raisins

• 150g chopped walnuts

• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

 I first ate a version of this in the home of friends in Slovenia - it was delicious

   Method

1. Make the dough: Combine 3 tbsp flour and 1 tsp sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add yeast, then add 60ml warm milk and mix well; let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes

2. Beat butter with remaining sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer until creamy. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add yeast mixture, 80ml milk, and salt; mix well.

3. Gradually add the remaining flour, mixing well after each addition. When dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes.

4. Lightly oil a large bowl. Place dough into the greased bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.

5. Lightly grease two rimmed baking sheets. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into two equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rectangle about 6 to 120 cms thick.

6. Spread filling ingredients over dough in the following order: melted butter, honey, raisins, and walnuts. Sprinkle cinnamon over top. Roll each piece up and over filling like a jelly roll, pinching the ends to seal. Transfer loaves, seam-side down, to the prepared baking sheets. Let rise until doubled in volume, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

7. Preheat the oven to 175C

8. Bake loaves in the preheated oven until golden brown on top, about 1 hour.