Vegan Easter Bread with Lemon Zest

Easter is a holiday we associate with some of the most delicious baked goods – kozunatsi (sweet bread).

This vegan kozunak is absolutely incredible and remains soft even on the next day.

Ingredients for Vegan Kozunak with Lemon Zest:
For the yeast:
 

• 1 cup warm soy milk (250 ml)
• 1 tbsp sugar (20 g)
• 2 active dry yeast packets (14 g)
• 3 tbsp all-purpose flour (45 g)
  
  For the dough:
   
• 1/2 cup soy milk (125 ml)
• 2/3 cup sugar (165 g)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup odorless coconut oil (70 g)
• 3 1/2 cups + 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (520 + 80g)
• 1/4 cup oil (50 ml)
  
  For the filling:


• Zest of 2-3 lemons
  
  For the golden crust:


• 3 tbsp soy milk
• 1 tbsp maple syrup

 
Method for preparing Vegan Kozunak with Lemon Zest:
Step 1: In a large bowl, mix one cup of warm soy milk with 1 tablespoon of sugar, 3 tablespoons of flour, and add the dry yeast, stir. Let sit for 10 minutes.

Step 2: In a small saucepan, combine half a cup of soy milk with the sugar over medium heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let cool completely.

Step 3: To the yeast mixture, add the coconut oil cut into pieces and add the cooled soy milk and sugar mixture. Start gradually adding the pre-sifted flour, stirring constantly with a wooden spatula. After adding 3 and a half cups of flour, begin kneading.

Step 4: Transfer the dough to a floured surface and, kneading constantly with your hands and stretching the dough, gradually add the remaining half cup of flour. Kneading will take about 10 minutes at this stage. The dough should be elastic and not sticky.

Step 5: Prepare the required amount of oil. The important thing when adding oil is to do it gradually. Take the dough and stretch it into an ellipse on the counter with your hands. Place about 1 tsp of oil in the center and pull the edges towards the center, sealing the oil in a packet. Begin actively kneading until the oil is fully incorporated into the dough and it becomes slightly sticky. Repeat the procedure until all the oil is used. (This process takes about 25-30 minutes.) Add lemon zest and knead the dough well again.

Step 6: Place the finished dough in a container and cover it with a kitchen towel or wrap it with foil. Leave in a warm place to rise for 2-3 hours.

Step 7: Divide the dough into two parts.

Step 8: Divide half of the dough into three parts, and stretch each into long ropes. Braid them, place in a loaf pan, cover with a kitchen towel, and let rise for 1 hour in a warm place.

Step 9: Preheat the oven to 175°C (355°F).

Step 10: Mix 3 tbsp soy milk with 1 tbsp maple syrup and brush the risen kozunatsi. Sprinkle with coconut sugar.

Step 11: Bake for about 40 minutes. *If the top starts to brown too much, cover with aluminum foil.

The recipe for Vegan Kozunak with Lemon Zest was made for us by Lyubov Pavlova.

Lyubov is a vegan food blogger from BohemianVeg. She shares entirely plant-based recipes and loves to experiment with various products and techniques, trying to recreate even the most traditional dishes from international cuisines.