Joanna’s Nut Roll

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk
• 1 (0.6 ounce) cake cake yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water – 100 to 110 degrees F (40 to 45 degrees C)
• 6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 slice bread, toasted
• 3 pounds walnut halves
• 1 1/4 pounds pecan halves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup honey, or to taste
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg
• 4 egg whites
• 2 cups milk, or as needed
• 1/4 cup butter, melted – divided
• 2 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup milk

Directions

Heat 2 cups of milk in a saucepan over low heat until the milk just comes to a simmer; remove from heat, and let cool. Mash the cake yeast with the warm water in a bowl, and set aside.

In a bowl, whisk together the flour with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon of nutmeg. In a separate large bowl, mash the butter with 1 cup of sugar and the salt until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Beat in 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. After milk is cooled to a warm temperature, stir the yeast mixture into the scalded milk, and stir the milk mixture to the creamed butter mixture. Beat in 3 cups of flour until completely incorporated, and beat in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until the mixture forms a smooth dough that's almost sticky. Dough will be very soft.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured work surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Place the dough into an oiled bowl, and turn the dough over to coat all sides with oil. Cover with a floured kitchen towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 2 to 3 hours.

Punch down the dough, cut into 6 equal pieces, and roll each piece into a ball. Cover with floured kitchen towel, and set the balls into a warm place to rise until doubled, 40 minutes to 1 hour.

While dough is rising the second time, make the nut filling: tear toasted bread into a few pieces, and grind toast with walnuts and pecans in a food grinder, or process in the work bowl of a food processor until finely chopped. Place the nuts into a bowl; mix in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 1 cup of honey, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of nutmeg until thoroughly combined. Mix in milk, a little at a time, to make a workable mixture.

Beat egg whites to stiff peaks in a bowl with an electric mixer, and gently fold the egg whites into the nut mixture until completely combined.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll out each piece of dough on a floured surface into a 12-inch square; brush with melted butter. Spread 1/6 of the nut mixture onto each square of dough, and roll each into a log; pinch ends and seam tightly together, and tuck the ends underneath the roll. Place filled rolls on the prepared baking sheet, seam sides down.

Beat egg yolks and 1/2 cup of milk together in a small bowl, and brush the rolls with the egg yolk mixture. If desired, allow to rise 30 more minutes (for more puffy rolls). Poke holes in the rolls every 4 inches.

Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, 50 to 65 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center of a roll will come out clean. Brush rolls with melted butter after removing from oven; allow to cool on racks.