Milky Nut-Filled Russian Bread (Dalieba)
I spent quite a few years living in Xinjiang as a child, and I still remember there was a chain dessert shop called A-li Cake. I wonder if any friends from Xinjiang know it too? One of their best-selling breads was Russian Dalieba—a long loaf that felt especially heavy and substantial in my little hands compared with other breads. Dense and satisfying in texture, with rich egg-and-milk aroma mixed with the fragrance of nuts and dried fruits—our whole family loved it. In recent years, this kind of big nut-filled Dalieba with lots of nuts and strong sweetness seems to have become better known and more popular. Knowing that the familiar taste of my childhood is loved by more people now gives me a quiet sense of joy. As I grew up and learned more about foods from different countries and regions, I gradually realized that perhaps the most authentic Russian Dalieba doesn’t contain so many nuts and sweet aromas. But this flavor, packed with childhood memories, is still my favorite deep in my heart, so I’m sharing it with you all. For today’s Dalieba, I used the Midea Chujian Oven PT3520w. Its fresh retro green adds a touch of springlike anticipation to my little kitchen. That tiny budding feeling of expectation and joy is just like the first time I met nut-filled Dalieba as a child.
Ingredients
Steps
Prepare all the ingredients. Fragrant nuts and plenty of dried fruits are essential to the deliciousness of this Dalieba. I used Xinjiang walnuts. After shelling the walnuts, place the walnut kernels on the middle rack of a 160℃ oven preheated in baking mode, and roast for about 6–8 minutes until very fragrant. You can also toast them in a pan; just be sure to control the heat and time so they don’t burn.
We’ll be using the “add butter later” method (post-fat method) to knead the dough. That is, first mix and knead all the dough ingredients except the dried fruits, nuts, butter, and egg wash for brushing the surface.
Once you’ve kneaded a smooth dough, add the butter that has fully softened at room temperature, then mix and knead it into the dough.
Knead again until the butter is fully absorbed and the dough becomes smoother and softer. Since this dough is relatively firm, we don’t need to pursue an extremely thin windowpane; a smooth dough with a certain degree of softness is enough.
After kneading, we need to do the first proof. When the weather is still cool, I prefer to use the oven to assist fermentation. The Midea Chujian Oven PT3520w has a proofing function. Turn it on, set it to 35℃, and place the dough inside, covered tightly with plastic wrap.
Proof for about 1 hour, until the dough doubles in size. The finished dough temperature may vary depending on how you knead, so it’s better to judge doneness by eye; the time is just for reference.
Besides doubling in size, you can also judge completion of fermentation by dipping a finger in flour and poking a hole in the center of the dough. If the hole does not spring back and the dough does not collapse, the proofing is just right. When you pull open the surface of well-fermented dough, you’ll see the inside full of elastic air bubbles.
Remove the dough, gently press and slap it to deflate, then divide evenly into two portions. Shape each into a loose ball, cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for 15 minutes. This resting step is very important; don’t skip it.
After resting, take one portion and roll it out into a rectangle about 25 cm by 25 cm, with even thickness, as shown. Handle the other portion in the same way (details omitted here).
Spread half of the dried fruits evenly over the dough. Press the dried fruits down firmly so they adhere better to the dough and are easier to roll later. When spreading the dried fruits, leave 1–1.5 cm of uncovered dough at the top edge and both sides, and roll the bottom edge thinner. All of this is to make rolling up easier afterwards.
Starting from the top edge (the side you didn’t roll thinner), roll the dough up tightly. Pinch the seam at the bottom and the ends closed, as shown, then place the log seam-side down lengthwise on a baking tray. With its 35 L capacity, the Midea Chujian Oven PT3520w can bake two Dalieba loaves at once.
Next, we’ll do the second proof, again with the help of the oven. For the second proof, I recommend placing a bowl of hot water in the oven and using the proofing function at the same time. This way you get both suitable temperature and humidity, which improves the result. I again used the 35℃ proofing mode on the oven.
After the second proof, when the loaves have doubled in size, take them out and brush generously with beaten whole egg. At this point, you can start preheating the oven—make sure it’s fully preheated before baking.
Use a sharp knife to score the proofed loaves. For Dalieba about 25–28 cm long, I like to score three slashes, deep enough that the dried fruits are just revealed.
After scoring, place the loaves on the middle rack of an oven preheated to 175℃ in baking mode, and bake at 175℃. Bake for about 30 minutes. If the top colors too quickly in the later stage, promptly lower the upper heating element temperature to 165℃. This way the finished Dalieba will have a more attractive overall color. I really like that the Midea Chujian Oven PT3520w allows you to adjust the upper and lower heating temperatures midway. (Since shaping can vary from person to person, the baking time may also differ. If needed, extend the baking by about 3 minutes.)
Once baking is finished, remove the loaves from the oven promptly. Let them cool, then slice and enjoy! When you open the oven, you’ll be greeted by an overwhelming aroma of eggs, milk, and nuts that will bring a smile to your face.
Here, have a bite~
The Midea Chujian Oven PT3520w is also equipped with Wi-Fi and can connect to the MSmartHome (Meiju) app, where you can find many built-in recipes and follow them step by step in real time. You can also check the cooking progress at any time. It’s quite convenient—I recommend it to you. ❤️