The Hirshon Slovenian Nut Roll – Potica

Ingredients

• Dough:
• 1 cup plus 6 T. butter, melted and cooled (2 ¾ sticks)
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 egg yolks
• Microplaned lemon zest from 1 lemon
• 1 ½ cups sour cream
• ¾ cup warm milk
• 1 t. sugar
• 6 cups flour, plus more for kneading
• 1 t. salt
• ***
• Yeast Mixture:
• 5 tsp. dry yeast
• 1 Tbsp. sugar
• ½ c. warm water
• ***
• Nut Filling:
• 2 lb. shelled walnuts, soaked for 12 hours in water, allowed to dry then ground fine - don't let it turn into walnut butter, they should be powdery
• ½ c. butter
• 2 c. milk
• 1 c. sugar
• ½ cup honey
• ½ cup tarragon syrup
• 4 eggs
• 1 tbsp. cinnamon
• ***
• Tarragon Syrup:
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup water
• 1 handful fresh tarragon

Instructions

1. To make the syrup:
2. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir and add tarragon.
3. Continue stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Simmer for an additional 2 minutes and remove from heat. Let the syrup cool and transfer to an air-tight container. If refrigerated, the syrup will last for months.
4. For the dough:
5. In a one-cup measure, dissolve yeast in warm water, add sugar, stir and let bubbles form on top.
6. In a large bowl, combine the butter, sugar, egg yolks, lemon zest and sour cream. Mix well.
7. In a small bowl, proof yeast in warm milk and sugar. Add yeast to the sour cream mixture. Mix well.
8. Sift flour and salt. Add to the mixture in the large bowl and stir to combine. You should have a soft, sticky dough.
9. Turn it out on a floured board and knead until smooth and elastic. Divide dough into four even balls and flatten them slightly. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight.
10. Nut Filling:
11. Grind walnuts. Heat butter until golden brown and add nuts, stirring constantly; when thoroughly warm, add milk and mix well on low heat until mixture boils. Add sugar, syrup and honey, mix well; bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes. Beat eggs and pour slowly into mixture, stirring constantly and boil 10 minutes more. This mixture scorches easily, so heat must not be too high. Cool mixture.
12. Construct the Potica:
13. Carefully dump dough onto table that has been covered with a twin sheet or tablecloth and lightly floured.
14. Start with a rolling pin, rolling the dough to a rectangle about 24 by 36 inches. Then stretch dough to 42 by 60 inches or to your table size. Cut off any thicker edges – it should be very thin.
15. Drop filling by large spoonfuls over two-thirds of the dough (using hands spreads is the easiest and most uniform method.) Spread evenly to edges and pick up short edge of cloth and gently roll over and over itself.
16. Cut into pan-size strips and patch with leftover thin dough or cut with a small plate and pinch ends shut.
17. Place in readied pans and prick with cake tester (or turkey pin) to prevent air bubbles. Cover and let rise about 40 minutes.
18. Preheat oven to 340° F depending on oven. Bake 35 minutes or until golden brown.
19. Remove from oven and let cool in pans for 20 minutes. Carefully dump out in hand, remove paper and set on a cooling rack. Cover with a cotton cloth and cool.

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