Easter Bread

Baking and photography: Claire Borg

When thinking about a theme for the Easter issue of Taste&Flair, I knew right away what I wanted to do – bake Easter breads from different countries. Baking bread takes time and patience, but the process of mixing and kneading and proving is calming and comforting. Before you start, check the expiry date on your yeast. If it’s expired or very close to expiry, yeast will not activate and all your work will go to waste. I have overlooked this step before, and know this through experience. The richer the dough, the longer it will have to prove but the 2-hour proving time may vary according to the ambient temperature. In cooler weather, cover the bowl super well, warm your oven to 30 degrees and then let your dough prove inside the very slightly warm oven. I baked these breads when it was still really cold, and I needed that little extra help. When the weather is warmer, the dough will prove faster. What if you add more yeast to speed up the process? Your dough may taste of yeast, and it will be harder to digest. So just be a little patient.

PINCA Croatian Easter Bread

YOU WILL NEED:

500g plain flour

11g sachet instant yeast

50 g butter, at room temperature

50g lard, at room temperature

30 g white sugar

30g brown sugar

2 whole eggs

3 egg yolks

1 tablespoon rosewater

1 tablespoon spiced or dark rum

100ml milk – warm

½ teaspoon salt zest of 1 orange zest of 1 lemon

FOR BRUSHING egg wash pearl sugar or almond flakes

In a large bowl, mix the flour, yeast, sugar, salt and zests, then add the soft butter and lard. In another bowl, mix the remaining ingredients, then mix everything together until a dough begins to form.

Turn the dough onto a clean surface and knead it for ten minutes (or, using the hook attachment, work in a mixer for ten minutes).

Place the dough in a clean bowl, cover it and let it rest until it doubles in size. This will take approximately two hours.

Knock back the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes. Divide it into 4 pieces and roll them into smooth buns. Place these on a lined baking sheet, cover them with a light cloth and let them rest until they puff up. This will take 30-40 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush each bun with egg wash, then cut three slashes on the top with a blade or sharp scissors. Sprinkle the buns with pearl sugar and bake them in a hot oven for 20-25 minutes.