Vegan Walnut & Cacao Romanian Christmas Loaf
 
 
Hazel & Cacao:
Recipe type: Dessert
Ingredients
  • LOAF:
  • 4 cups whole meal spelt flour
  • 5 TBSP grape seed oil
  • 300ml water
  • ⅓ cup coconut sugar
  • zest and juice of ½ lemon
  • zest and juice of ½ orange
  • 1¼ tsp active dry yeast
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • CACAO WALNUT FILLING:
  • 1½ cup walnuts
  • ⅓ cup coconut sugar
  • 2 TBSP cacao powder
  • drop of rum essence
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 TBSP wholemeal spelt flour
  • ½ cup water
Method
  1. Sift your spelt flour into a large bowl to get rid of any of the gritty parts.
  2. Add in all the rest of the loaf ingredients and mix together with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together into a wet dough.
  3. Leave to rise covered for about 2 hours until the mixture has doubled in size.
  4. After it has risen the dough should be elastic but if you find that it is still too wet, keep adding flour until you get a consistency that is easy to knead.
  5. Knead for about 10 minutes on a floured surface.
  6. Roll out in to a rectangle with a rolling pin no longer than the size of the loaf tin you are going to use and about 1 - 1.5 cm thick.
  7. For the walnut filling add all the filling ingredients into a food processor. Add your water slowly until a paste consistency is formed. You may not need all the water.
  8. Once your walnut paste has formed, spread out evenly on your dough with a spatula or butter knife leaving a little space around the margins
  9. Carefully roll the dough into a cylinder shape and transfer into a lightly greased or lined loaf tin. You may need to squeeze it in slightly.
  10. Bake for about 40 - 45 minutes about 170C or until a tooth pick comes out clean. ( please note baking times will vary depending on your oven so keep an eye on your loaf)
  11. Allow to cook slightly before serving. Works really as a breakfast slice as well.
Recipe by Talida Voinea at https://talidavoinea.au/vegan-walnut-cacao-romanian-christmas-loaf/