Dilkush / Bread with Sweet Coconut flakes & Tutty Fruity filling- Nostalgic Memories of Kerala

When you are away from your home town ,you actually miss a lot of people,things and edibles too..Though we try and recreate the same ambience whereever we stay but at times that doesn't fulfill some things.Similarly,one day I felt having a piece of dilkush from our near by bakery.An impossible affair out here unless you bake yourself ,right?When I thought of preparing dilkush and thought to google the recipe,I was taken aback.There was no recipe to this particular bread and then when I found one it was made out of pastry sheets.I didn't want that and so recreated this recipe.It was another true experimentation but when I opened my oven I was surprised and to see the perfect one!!

 I really don't know how this was named 'dilkush' but the literal hindi meaning is to make our hearts happy and its very much true when I say this after having Dilkush.Many of you might miss this little piece with stuffing out here in US,if you are craving for Dilkush then the answer is right here in front of you in pictures :-) Try this out to see the smiling faces of your loved ones !!

Ingredients
All purpose flour 4cups
Active dry yeast 1 tbsp full or 4tsp
warm milk 1 cup
oil 2tbsp
water 2 tbsp
eggs 2 beaten (reserve one egg white for glaze)
salt
sugar 3/4 cup

for filling
coconut 11/2 cup shredded(I used the sweetened coconut flakes)
raisins 5 tbsp
tutty fruity 5 oz
cashew nuts  5 tbsp
sugar 2-3tbsp
cardamom powder 1tsp

Method
-Add the warm milk and stir in the sugar into it.Add the yeast and mix well.Wait for 10 minutes till its frothy.
-Beat the eggs until fluffy.Sift the dough with salt and add oil and milk mixed with yeast mixture.
-Knead the dough smooth,add water as required and forms a bit sticky dough.
-Cover it with a plastic wrap and keep aside for 3 hours.
-In the meantime,prepare the filling by mixing coconut,sugar,tutty fruity,raisins,cashews and cardamom powder.
-Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and make 4 balls.Roll each with a rolling pin by dipping in flour lightly.
-Roll one in a circle of diameter 8''  and 1/2" thickness .Spread half of the filling into the circle leaving 1/2-1 "space at the outer border and keep aside.
-Roll out another ball in the same way of diameter 9''and 1/2'' thickness.Cover it on top of the filling one and tuck the sides under the first one such that it properly covers the sides.Apply water to seal the tucked edges and brush the reserved egg white on top generously.Leave aside to rise for 20-30 minutes.
-Repeat the same steps to make another loaf using the remaining 2 balls and leave aside.
-Pre heat oven to 375 degrees F and place it in the oven for 15-20 minutes.
-The bread will puff well and presents with a soft golden brown color.Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes and Serve with tea!!

Servings ~2 bread

NOTES
*You can store this bread for 4-5 days in air tight container.
*You can add 1/4th cup of beaten rice too to the filling which I have not added.
*Seal the bread properly  with a touch of water otherwise the filling may seep out.
* I repeated the bread the second time too,added beaten rice too..Only fault is I found was the crust color was not golden brown,If this happens just apply egg white generously on top.You get this color.

Sending this to The Kerala Kitchen event hosted by Kaveri @ Palakkad Chamayal

Also,sending  this to Valentine's Day Special event hosted by Anzz @ Anzz Cafe 

Sending this to Something Sweet event hosted by  Kavi @ Edible Entertainment