AMAZING TRADITIONAL CROATIAN POVITICA

Steps:

• Combine filling ingredients in a heavy saucepan.
• Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the mixture for about 30 minutes or until the mixture is fairly thick (remember this will be the filling inside the bread and it shouldn't be runny) Let cool.
• In a large heated bowl, combine yeast, warm water.
• and 1/2 tsp.
• sugar.
• Stir until yeast is dissolved.
• Set in a warm place for about 5 minutes, until foamy.
• Combine 1/2 cup sugar, melted butter and salt.
• Add boiling water, stir and cool until lukewarm.
• Add this mixture to yeast.
• Stir in beaten eggs and add flour gradually.
• Turn out onto a floured board and knead about 5 minutes.
• Do not over flour this it should be softer than regular bread dough.
• Place in a greased bowl, cover and set in a warm place to rise until double in bulk.
• Put dough in center of a lightly floured work table and roll out as thin as possible with a rolling pin, maintaining a square or rectangle shape.
• The thinner you are able to roll the dough the better this will turn out.
• Spread the pulled dough evenly with the prepared.
• filling.
• Roll up the povitica as for a jelly roll.
• Cut roll in half and place each half into a greased bread pan two inches deep and form it into an"S" shape.
• Tuck in the ends and flatten it a little.
• Cover and let raise for 2-1/2 hours in a warm place.
• Bake in a preheated oven at 375° for 10 minutes, then reduce to 350° for 50 minutes until nicely browned.
• Cool in pan for 30 minutes then remove from pan.
• and finish cooling on wire rack.
• alternate fillings could be your favorite fruit cooked down with sugar into almost a jam, cream cheese mixed with egg and powdered sugar or even your favorite pumpkin pie filling.