"One slice is never enough..."
I would say that POTICA is every kids childhood dream chocolate bread. The bread is really rich, the nutty chocolate filling is thick and flavourful!
It's like a giant sticky bun, but with a higher percentage of the yummy filling and just enough flaky crust. 

Potica (pronounced poh-TEET-sah) originates from Slovenia. 
It’s the most delicious Nut Roll, that’s prepared with light Brioche dough and filled with a rich, tasty filling. 

They are traditionally eaten on all holidays like Easter and Christmas and other celebrations like birthdays and weddings.

There are many variety of fillings; such as Almond, Coffee, Poppyseed, Strawberry Cream Cheese but Chocolate is one of my favourite.
I am a fan of Chocolate Cinnamon Rolls, but I can say POTICA is much much better.

Potičnik – the traditional round clay baking pan with a sleeve in the middle which is Slovene used for baking POTICA.
Nowadays, we can use a bundt cake pan which has similar shape to Potičnik or you can use loaf pan if you want.

This iconic old world cake is made by stretching the dough so thin that you almost see through it; It may become so stretched that it takes up the entire table. The thinner the dough actually the more impressive the design.

For the filling, I suggest to use 70% Dark Chocolate and above; lower than that, I found it slightly too sweet. And for the nuts, you can use either Walnut, Pecan or Cashew; all delicious.

POTICA is usually cut into thin slices. On easter morning, families bring POTICA, ham and eggs to be blessed at church, they are then serve to the family at Easter breakfast.

Other occasions it may be spread with butter or honey, sprinkle with cinnamon; And when serve as dessert, it’s topped with ice cream, Vanilla custard, Whipped Cream or fresh fruit.

The high percentage of eggs and butter content in Brioche gives it a really rich yet tender crumb;
And the nutty chocolate filling inside is flavourful and not too sweet, it’s just delightful.

It’s like having a giant sticky bun, but with a higher percentage of the yummy filling and just enough flaky crust. The combination of tender crumb and fragrant chocolate nutty filling was so irresistible.
One slice is never enough… 🤪

Making this nut roll is an elaborate process but the taste is worth it.
For the chocolate lover, I highly recommend to try this; and I’m sure your family and kids will love it so much.
LOVE YOU ALL 🥰

WATCH HOW TO MAKE “POTICA” TRADITIONAL SLOVENIAN NUT ROLL

RECIPE

CHOCOLATE POTICA
Yield: One Diameter 22 cm Bundt Pan
Active time: 1 ½ Hours
Total time: 5 Hours

INGREDIENTS
✨DOUGH

• 30 g Milk  (room temp.)
• 1/2 tbsp Instant/ Active Dry Yeast
• 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
• 120 g Evaporated Milk
• 30 g Egg Yolks
• 30 g Plain Greek Yogurt/ Sour Cream
• 270 g All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 45 g Unsalted Butter (soft)
• 20 g Granulated Sugar
• 30 g All-Purpose Flour (for kneading)
  
  

✨CHOCOLATE FILLING

• 60 g Milk  
• 85 g Maple Syrup/ Honey
• 200 g Granulated Sugar
• 25 g Cocoa Powder (sifted)
• 45 g Egg Whites
• 1/2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
• 30 g Unsalted Butter
• 60 g Dark Chocolate 70% (chopped)
• 60 Walnut/ Cashew/ Pecan (ground)
  
  

✨GLAZE ~ Egg Whites

INSTRUCTIONS
Dough

1. Grease the pan with generous amount of butter.
2. Combine the milk along with yeast and 1 tbs of sugar, set aside for about 10 minutes until foamy.
   30 g Milk (room temp.); 1/2 tbsp Instant/ Active Dry Yeast; 1 tbsp Granulated Sugar
3. In another medium bowl combine all the wet ingredients Evaporated Milk, eggs yolks, Greek Yogurt; Mix well. 120 g Evaporated Milk; 30 g Egg Yolks; 30 g Plain Greek Yogurt/ Sour Cream
4. For the dry ingredients, simply combine the All-Purpose Flour and salt. 270 g All-Purpose Flour; 1/2 tsp Salt
5. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. 45 g Unsalted Butter (soft); 20 g Granulated Sugar
6. Add in the dry ingredients alternating with the wet ingredients in 3 batches.
7. Pour in the yeast mixture;
   Using wooden spoon slowly fold the dough with the yeast mixture for about 3 minutes until it form a wet sticky dough. 
8. Place the dough onto a floured surface (sprinkle All-Purpose Flour for kneading) and gently fold the edge of the dough in a circular motion until all the flour is used up. 30 g All-Purpose Flour (for kneading)
9. And then, knead the dough again for another 5 minutes until the dough become less sticky and really smooth.
10. Sprinkle some flour inside the clean bowl, place the dough. Cover and let the dough rise for about 1-2 hours or until doubled in size. 

Chocolate Filling

1. In a food processor, pulse the chocolate and then nuts (separately) for a few seconds at a time until they are fine; set aside. 60 g Dark Chocolate 70% (chopped); 60 Walnut/ Cashew/ Pecan (ground)
2. In a non-stick pan combine the milk, Maple Syrup, sugar, Cocoa Powder, egg whites and Vanilla Extract (it’s important to sift the Cocoa Powder, you don’t want any lumps in your filling); Mix until smooth. 60 g Milk; 85 g Maple Syrup/ Honey; 200 g Granulated Sugar; 25 g Cocoa Powder (sifted); 45 g Egg Whites; 1/2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
   Add in the dark chocolate and butter, cook over medium high heat while keep stirring until all the chocolate and butter dissolved.
3. When in starts to boil, lower the heat to medium low and continue cook until the mixture thicken; Take it off from the heat, pour over the ground nuts; mix well. Let the mixture cool to room
   temperature before you use it.
   

Roll and Bake

1. After 1½ hours you can see that the dough become doubled in size.
   Punch the dough to release any gas bubbles; place it on a floured countertop
   Using rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangular shape (34×45 cm); about half cm or less in thickness (the thinner your dough actually the more impressive the design).
2. To roll the dough
   Spread the filling over the dough (spare for about 5 cm at the end of the dough).
   Starting at the shorter edge nearest you, tightly roll up into a tight log;
   The length of the log should be 2.5 times of the diameter of the pan; cut the excess dough in 45° angle.
3. Carefully transfer the log to the prepared pan with a short section on the inside (as much as possible try to connect the two ends of the log else the POTICA won’t be as pretty and the filling will spread out while baking).
4. For the final proof
   Cover the pan with a towel or Cling Film and let it rise at room temperature for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
5. Once the dough has risen, brush the top with egg whites and then bake in the preheated 160°C oven for 1 hour
6. When it’s done
   Let cool slightly in the pan for about 5 minutes; invert onto a wire rack, remove the pan 
7. Leave the POTICA to cool completely, then sprinkle with some icing sugar.

NOTES

1. This wonderful Nut Roll is best one day after baking.
2. Store it in an airtight container 4 – 5 days at room temperature. 
3. You can also freeze it in a freezer bag for up to two months.