Cozonac

Cozonac (Romanian: [kozoˈnak]) or Kozunak (Bulgarian: козунак [kozuˈnak]) is a sweet yeast dough that can be used to make different traditional holiday breads and cakes. Often mixed with raisins or nuts, it can be baked as a loaf or rolled out with fillings like poppy seed or walnuts. It is common throughout Southeastern Europe in countries such as Bulgaria, Moldova, Romania, Serbia, North Macedonia and Greece. Rich in eggs, milk and butter, it is usually prepared for Easter in Bulgaria, Serbia, North Macedonia, and in Romania and Moldova it is also traditional for Good Friday, in a simplified version with vegan ingredients, without eggs or milk - named Cozonac de post - to be eaten by Christians during lent. The name is thought to originate, via Bulgarian: козунак, either from Greek: κοσωνάκι, romanized: kosōnáki, a diminutive form of κοσώνα, kosṓna, 'doll' or from Greek: κωδουνάκη, romanized: kōdunáki, a diminutive form of κουδούνι, kudúni, 'bell'.

Cozonac was the sweet chosen to represent Romania in the Café Europe initiative of the Austrian presidency of the European Union, on Europe Day 2006.