Povitica Recipe
This authentic Povitica bread is the ultimate holiday masterpiece, featuring a rich yeast dough swirled with a smooth walnut filling. Flaky, shreddy, and cake-like, this recipe is make-ahead friendly and easily customizable with any of the popular filling options listed above.
Servings 1 loaf
Calories 4317kcal
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 and ¼ cups (300 g/ml) whole milk, warmed to about 110°F (43°C)
- 2 teaspoons (6 grams) instant yeast See the note for active and fresh yeast measurements
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 medium egg
- 1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt
- 2 and ½ cups (300 grams) bread flour, plus more as needed
- ¼ cup cup (56 grams) unsalted butter, softened
Filling
- 2 cups (250 grams) walnuts, roasted
- ⅓ cup (50 grams) confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon (10 grams) cocoa powder
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons (36 grams) vegetable oil or melted butter
- 3 tablespoons (45 grams) milk
Brush
- 1 egg white
Topping
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) confectioners' sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: Whisk together the warm milk, yeast, and sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Cover and let the mixture sit for about 10-15 minutes, or until foamy on top. Wait for the mixture to reach room temperature before proceeding to the next step.
- Add the egg, salt, and flour. Mix on low speed for about 4 minutes until a soft, shaggy dough forms. Use a silicone spatula or bowl scraper to scrape down the sides of the bowl and ensure all the ingredients are fully incorporated. The dough should pull away from the bottom of the bowl and cling to the hook. If the dough is too wet, add flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it clears the bottom of the bowl. If the dough feels too dry, add milk, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, until the texture softens.
- Knead the dough: Increase the mixer speed to medium and knead for 6–8 minutes until the dough is soft and slightly tacky. If the dough begins to stick to the bottom of the bowl again, add 1 teaspoon of flour at a time until it clears the bottom. Be careful not to add too much, as we need a soft dough, not dry. After kneading, the gluten should be well-developed. You can check this by doing the "windowpane test": tear off a small piece of dough and gently stretch it out. If it becomes thin enough for light to pass through without tearing, you are ready for the next step. If it tears, continue kneading, but do not exceed 12 minutes of total kneading time to prevent the dough from overheating. *If the dough still hasn’t passed the windowpane test by this point, proceed anyway by incorporating the butter as directed in the next step. Afterward, allow the dough to rest in the mixer bowl for 20 minutes; this ensures the gluten is fully developed before moving to the refrigerator step.
- Incorporate the butter: With the mixer running on low speed, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time. Wait until each piece is fully absorbed before adding the next, using a spatula to scrape down the sides so all the fat is incorporated. Don’t worry if the dough sticks to the bottom of the bowl during this 2–3 minute process; this is perfectly normal. (If you're new to rich dough, my master enriched dough can help.)
- Once all the butter is added, continue mixing on low for another 2–3 minutes, or until the dough begins to slap against the sides of the bowl again and becomes soft, shiny, and elastic.
- Refrigerate the dough: Lightly grease a large bowl with butter or nonstick spray. Shape the dough into a ball and transfer to the bowl, turning it once to ensure all sides are evenly coated. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24–48 hours. For the best flavor, chill your dough for at least 24 hours.
- Prepare the walnut filling: Pulse the walnuts in a blender or food processor using short bursts until they reach a fine, sandy consistency. Avoid running the processor continuously, as this prevents the motor from overheating and keeps the nuts from turning into an oily paste. Add the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, and salt, then blend until combined. Pour in the vanilla extract, oil, and milk. Pulse the mixture again until a thick, slightly grainy paste forms that is still dense but spreads easily.
- Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick spray or butter.
- Shape the bread: Remove the dough from the refrigerator and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Lightly flour your hands and your rolling pin, then roll out the dough into a 17x22 inch (36x56cm) rectangle. The edges will likely be rounded, but that’s okay! Simply use your hands to stretch the corners into a proper rectangular shape. Gently spread the walnut filling evenly over the surface. Starting from the long side (an Offset spatula or dough scraper is helpful for spreading the filling easily). Tightly roll up the dough into a 22-inch log and pinch the seam to seal it. Take one of the end logs and fold it back toward the center. Fold the opposite end in the other direction to create 3 equal parallel sections in an "S" shape (refer to the visuals above). Place the shaped bread into the greased loaf pan.
- Rise: Loosely cover the shaped povitica with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise in a relatively warm environment for 1-1.5 hours. The dough is ready to bake when it looks noticeably puffy and has risen roughly 1/2 inch above the rim of the loaf pan.
- Place the oven rack in the lower-middle position. Preheat the oven to 340°F (170°C) while the dough finishes its final rise.
- When the dough has risen 1/2 inch above the pan, brush the top of the loaf with the egg white wash.
- Bake the bread: Bake the bread at 340°F (170°C) for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 285°F (140°C). Continue baking for another 45–50 minutes. If the crust browns too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper halfway through. The bread is done when the top is golden brown, and the bottom sounds hollow when tapped. For the most accurate results, use an instant-read thermometer; the center of the loaf should reach 195°F (90°C).
- Remove the Povitica from the oven and let it cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes to allow the structure to set. While the loaf is still warm, carefully turn it out of the pan and brush the top generously with honey. Let the bread continue to cool on the wire rack. Once the loaf is completely cool, dust the top with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately.
- Wrap leftover bread tightly in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
Make Ahead Instructions: See step 5. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 24-48 hours.
Freezing Instructions: To freeze the dough, complete the process through Step 3, wrap the pan tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap, and freeze for up to 3 months; when ready to use, thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator and let it rise in a warm environment for 1–1.5 hours (Step 4) before baking. For baked Povitica, it is best to freeze the loaf without the honey and powdered sugar to maintain the best texture. Allow the bread to cool completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and a layer of aluminum foil, and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, thaw the loaf overnight at room temperature and apply the honey and sugar fresh. Feel free to warm the bread before serving.
Special Tools (affiliate links): Kitchen Scale with Liquid Measuring Cups / Measuring Cups & Spoons | Stand Mixer | Silicone Spatula / Bowl Scraper | Bench Scraper | Food Processor | Offset Spatula | 9×5-inch Loaf Pan | Pastry Brush | Wire Rack.
Flours: Feel free to use either bread flour or all-purpose flour; both work perfectly in this recipe without any adjustments. Keep in mind that bread flour will produce a slightly chewier loaf with more structure, while all-purpose flour results in a softer crumb.
Yeast: While I use instant yeast, you can easily use any yeast you have on hand. Active dry yeast is a simple 1:1 swap, though it may rise a bit slower. If you prefer fresh yeast, use 0.60 oz (18g). No other adjustments to the recipe are necessary.
Double Batch: If your mixer bowl is smaller than 5 quarts, I recommend preparing only one loaf at a time. For mixers 5 quarts or larger, you can double the ingredients to make two loaves simultaneously.
Other Filling Options: See the full blog post above for a variety of Povitica filling options and their specific measurements.
