The perfect Easter bread and wine pairing

BUHLE MBONAMBI buhle.mbonambi@inl.co.za

The symbolism of bread and wine in the Christian community needs no explaining. While The Last Supper was more than just about breaking bread and wine, it has inspired enthusiasts to look into the best bread and wine pairings.

There are various things to take into consideration when you pair wine with bread.

Things like the flavour profile of the bread, grains used, and whether it’s sweet or not. Then there is the generally accepted principle of light breads going well with lighter wines, while thick and dense breads pair well with full bodied and complex wines.

We have curated some of the best breads that pair well with wines

Sweet breads like mosbolletjie pair very well with Rieslings and sparkling wine.

Steenberg executive chef Kerry Kilpin shares her mosbolletjie bread recipe. Picture: Supplied

Chef Kerry Kilpin’s Mosbolletjie Bread

INGREDIENTS

For the dough

450g stone-ground flour

1 egg, beaten

45g butter

150ml milk

160ml must or grape juice

100g brown sugar

5ml aniseed

5g instant yeast

4g salt Glaze

100ml honey

100g butter

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 180ºC.

Combine the milk and butter and gently heat until the butter is melted.

Add the grape juice and egg to the milk and butter. Allow cooling to a tepid temperature.

Combine the flour, sugar, aniseed, yeast, and salt in a mixing bowl. Gradually add the milk liquid to the flour to form a dough.

Knead the dough for roughly 10 minutes until smooth and the gluten has developed.

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth. Allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in volume.

While the dough is rising, grease a standard bread tin.

Once the dough has doubled in volume, divide it into 18 equal parts. 2 rows of 9 balls each. Place tightly next to one another in the bread tin.

Combine the honey and butter and melt over medium heat.

Gently brush the top of the buns with the glaze.

Keep the remaining butter glaze when the buns come out of the oven.

Once you have prepared your dough in the tin, allow it to double in size again in a warm place covered with a damp towel.

Once the bread has doubled, place in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until golden brown.

As soon as the bread comes out of the oven, glaze a second time with the remaining butter and honey mixture.

Best enjoyed warm straight from the oven with butter.

Health Bread

INGREDIENTS

(Makes 2 Loaves)

4 x 250ml wholewheat flour

500ml digestive bran

375ml assorted seeds (sesame, poppy, sunflower etc)

125ml dried cranberries (or raisins)

125ml chopped pecan nuts

125ml chopped dried apricots

30ml bicarbonate of soda

1 litre Greek yoghurt

125ml honey

METHOD

In a large bowl, combine flour, bran, seeds, cranberries or raisins, nuts, apricots and bicarbonate of soda, then mix well. Combine yoghurt and honey. Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour in the yoghurt and honey. Mix well.

Picture: Dumisani Sibeko

Spoon the mixture into two greased and base-lined 22 x 11cm loaf pans and bake at 180°C for 45 to 60 minutes.

Test by piercing with a toothpick in the centre.

Turn on to a rack to cool.

This loaf is delicious served with a warming soup or with cold meats and cheese and makes the perfect vessel for patés.

Note: Do not be alarmed if the sunflower seeds in the bread turn green the following day.

This is caused by the reaction with the bicarbonate of soda. It does not affect the taste at all.

A heavy bread like this health bread goes very well with a light-bodied or mediumbodied Pinot Noir and for the adventurous, rosé.