Leavened Dough (for Cozonac and Pasca)
The basic leavened dough used to make traditional Romanian cozonac and pasca. It is a rich, egg-, butter- and milk-heavy dough that requires long kneading and two rising stages to achieve a fluffy, elastic texture that turns golden when baked.
Servings
Prep
45 min
Cook
per final recipe (cozonac or pasca)
Total
about 3 hours (including rising), excluding baking
🥘Ingredients
servings
Starter (sponge)
Dough
✅Dietary Compatibility
Yield
about 1.8 kg dough, enough for 2 medium cozonac loaves or 1 large pasca
📦Storage
Refrigerator
Raw dough, well covered with plastic wrap, can be kept refrigerated for up to 24 hours (cold slow rise).
Freezer
Raw dough can be frozen for up to 1 month; thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature before shaping.
🥗Nutrition Facts
Values per 100 g raw dough
Calories
290 kcal
Protein
7 g
Fat
9 g
Carbohydrates
45 g
Fiber
1 g
🍷Pairs Well With
💡Variations
Rum dough: add 1–2 tbsp of rum for a more pronounced traditional flavor.
Richer dough: increase the number of egg yolks for an even more tender, golden dough.
Lighter version: reduce the butter to 100 g and replace part of it with oil.