CHOCOLATE POTICA (ROLL)

Yeast

In a small bowl, grind the yeast, add three tablespoons of lukewarm milk, 1.5 tablespoons of flour and 1 teaspoon of sugar, mix well and leave covered for about 10-15 minutes for the yeast to form.

Dough

Separate the egg yolks and whites. Put the egg whites aside because you will be needing them for the filling. Gradually mix the yolks into the warm milk. Sift the flour into a large bowl and salt it along the edge. In the middle of the flour, dig a hole in the bowl with your fingers, pour in the fermented yeast and the mixture of milk and eggs. Using an electric robot, knead the dough and gradually add the melted butter while mixing. Knead the dough until it becomes smooth and separates from the bowl. Knead the kneaded dough lightly with hands, cover it with a dry cloth and let it rest in a warm place (when the dough rises, make sure that there are no open windows!). Leave to rise for about an hour for the dough to double. Then take it out of the bowl and knead it well again, shape it into a ball, cover and let it rise for another 45 minutes.

Chocolate filling

Meanwhile, start preparing the chocolate filling. Melt the butter in a pan over medium heat and mix it with the flour using a mixing whisk. Gradually add the flour and prevent the lumps to form by stirring it constantly. Gradually add salt, vanilla sugar and milk. Finally, add chocolate powder and sugar and mix until completely thickened. When the mass has cooled, stir in the whipped egg whites with a spatula. If the mass is not thick enough, add a little more flour (the mass should not be too liquid, because it run out of the potica when rolling).

Potica rolling

Cut the risen dough in half and roll each half into a rectangle about 0.5 cm thick and fill it with chocolate filling. Then roll it tightly into a roll, place in a greased baking pan and cover with a dry cloth. Let it rise for another half hour. Before putting it in the oven, pierce it several times, to the bottom, with a toothpick. Bake for 50 minutes at 180 degrees. The potica is baked when its crust becomes crispy and gets a nice brown color. When the potica is baked, coat it with hot butter and leave it to cool.