Nut roll

Preparation and design

A sweet yeast dough is rolled flat, about 0.2 inches (5 millimeters) thick, and a filling is spread on it. The filled dough is rolled up, forming a log or loaf shape, then baked. When sliced, the cross-section shows a swirl of filling.

Types or forms of nut roll are: rolled log, loaf made via a bread pan, and a "crazy loaf" style with a unique texture. Similar ground walnut filling is used in Buchteln, a bun-shaped pastry, also with yeast dough.

Central Europe

Traditional nut rolls in Central and Eastern Europe, like makowiec and bejgli, are a special type of rolled log shape. These are generally made with either of two types of filling: walnut and poppy seed. In addition to ground nut fillings, cinnamon, raisins or currants, bread crumbs, lemon zest, rum and heavy cream or sour cream are used. The poppyseed versions are still popular in Russian-American neighborhoods in the USA.

Povitica

The povitica, a traditional Croatian and partly Slovenian pastry, is made from buttery pastry dough rolled into very thin layers and covered with a layer of brown sugar, spices, and walnuts. The log-shaped loaf is then baked. Povitica was featured as the technical challenge recipe on the "Advanced Dough" episode of The Great British Baking Show in 2014. Other roll-shaped European pastries are filled with thick jam (called lekvar, usually apricot or cherry) called lekvarostekercs or Swiss roll.

Slovenia

Slovenian potica is traditional walnut roll cake in Slovenia.

Serbia

Nut roll is also typical for northern Serbia (Vojvodina), where it is named "štrudla/штрудла" or "savijača/савијача". Serbian nut roll is usually covered with a layer of poppy, walnut or cherry, but sometimes can be with a layer of carob or cocoa.

United States

Nut rolls are popular across the United States, often made with some combination of walnut, poppy seed, apricot, and coffee, with more traditional varieties and preparations made in areas with large Central European settlements. They were introduced there by Central European immigrants and widely adopted by other ethnic groups in those regions. Nut rolls are an essential part of Christmas celebrations and popular other times in Pittsburgh and southwestern Pennsylvania, Joliet, Illinois, Pueblo, Colorado, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Youngstown, Ohio, northeastern Ohio (where it is known as kolachi), the Iron Range of Minnesota, Kansas City and Butte, Montana. As such, povitica, as well as Cornish pasties, are considered one of the traditional state foods of Montana, regardless of ethnic group.