Cook Like Czechs

  • Recipes
  • Czech Republic
  • About
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Subscribe
    • About
    • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Desserts

    Fruit Bread (Czech Biskupský chlebíček)

    Published: Apr 26, 2022 · Modified: Jun 5, 2024 by Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe
    • 163shares

    Let's enjoy this delicious fruit bread with a chocolate glaze! This recipe, known as "Biskupsky chlebicek" in the Czech Republic, includes candied fruit and is easy to make. I guarantee each family member will love it.

    Fruit bread with chocolate glaze (Czech biskupsky chlebicek - bishops bread).

    This buttery and soft fruit bread stands out for its flavorful taste, it is perfect for festive occasions or just for a catch-up with friends. I warmly recommend it as a nice example of sweet baking from Czech cuisine.

    Czechs call this delicacy "biskupsky chlebicek" which translates as bishop's bread!

    MY TIP: If you like Czech cooking, try Mrkvanky carrot cookies (they taste fantastic)

    ➜ Ingredients

    Ingrediets for fruit bread with captions.

    To make soft fruit bread, you need:

    • All-purpose flour; in the UK plain flour
    • Granulated sugar
    • Unsalted butter; softened at room temperature. Make sure you take the butter out of the refrigerator at least half a day before baking.
    • Eggs; warmed to room temperature. A nifty trick: If you forget to take them out of the fridge in time, dip them in warm water for a while.
    • Salt; for the contrast in taste
    • Lemon zest; freshly shredded for extra flavor. Shred only the upper yellow layer; the lower white layer is bitter.
    • Baking powder
    • Candied fruit; can be substituted with dry fruits such as raisins, cherries, dates, figs

    For the chocolate glaze:

    • Medium-sweet dark chocolate (bars or chocolate chips)
    • Sunflower oil; the oil will make the icing glossy. Instead of oil, use heavy cream or a piece of unsalted butter. Sunflower oil can be substituted for rapeseed oil (Canola). Avoid olive oil as it has a specific aroma. 

    Next, you need some butter and fine plain breadcrumbs or flour to grease and dust the loaf pan.

    ✅ You’ll find the exact amount of ingredients below in the recipe card, which you can also print out.

    ➜ How to make fruit bread

    STEP 1: Carefully separate the egg whites from the yolks. Then beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and a spoonful of sugar until stiff. Use an electric hand mixer.

    Whipped egg whites.

    STEP 2: In another bowl, beat softened butter with egg yolks and remaining sugar until fluffy.

    Creamed butter with sugar and egg yolks.

    STEP 3: Combine flour with the baking powder. Gradually add the flour and whipped egg whites by tablespoonfuls to the beaten egg yolks. Always mix well with a hand spatula. Finally, stir in the lemon zest and candied fruit.

    Making fruit bread batter.

    STEP 4: Brush the loaf pan with butter and sprinkle with fine breadcrumbs. Pour in the prepared bread dough and smooth the surface.

    Bread dough in a loaf pan.

    STEP 5: Bake the fruit bread in a preheated oven at 170° C (top and bottom heat) for about 40 minutes until golden brown. Towards the end of the baking time, make a test for doneness. Insert a wooden skewer into the bread. When it comes out dry, the fruit bread is baked. If dough sticks to the skewer, bake for another 5 minutes.

    After baking, let the fruit bread cool for about 5 to 10 minutes, and then turn it out of the loaf pan.

    Baked fruit bread.

    STEP 6: Allow the fruit bread to cool completely. In the meantime, melt the chocolate over steam and add the oil. Stir until the mixture is smooth and glossy.

    Chocolate icing melted in a pot.

    STEP 7: Brush the top and sides of the cooled fruit loaf with the glaze. Allow the glaze to set in the refrigerator. Cut the bread into thin slices and serve.

    Coating fruit bread with chocolate glaze.

    ➜ What is candied fruit?

    Candied fruit is finely chopped pieces of fruit, cooked and then macerated in sugar syrup. The sugar sweetens the soaked fruits and preserves them, thus prolonging their life. The most common candied fruits are lemon and orange peel, papaya, pineapple, apricots, or dates.

    Candied fruit is most often used in sweet baking, such as Christmas fruit bread, Easter lamb cake, or florentines.

    ➜ The best pan for fruit bread

    A loaf pan is best suited for classic fruit bread. You can bake various kinds of sweet bread in it such as banana bread, but also meatloaf (Czech sekana or sekanina). This recipe works great to make in a 5x9-inch loaf pan.

    Sliced fruit bread.

    ➜ Useful tips

    • The butter must be softened at room temperature before use. The same applies to eggs. If the ingredients were cold, they would not combine when beaten and lumps would form in the mixture.
    • Allow the chocolate glaze to cool before coating, it should be semi-liquid when used. If not stiff enough, put it in the freezer for a while.
    • STORAGE: Cover the fruit loaf with plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out. Stored at room temperature, it will keep for about five days.

    More sweet recipes:

    • Bublanina – sheet cake with fruits
    • Koblihy – Czech donuts
    • Gingerbread slice

    Tried this recipe?

    Leave a review down in the comments! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

    Other readers and I love hearing what you think. Stay in touch by following me on Facebook and Pinterest. For more Czech stuff, subscribe to my newsletter!

    Sliced fruit bread with candied fruits and chocolate icing.

    Fruit Bread (Czech Biskupsky chlebicek)

    Author: Petra Kupská | Cook Like Czechs
    Let's enjoy this delicious fruit bread with a chocolate glaze! The recipe contains candied fruit and comes from the Czech Republic, where it is called "biskupsky chlebicek". Making it is easy, and I guarantee each family member will love it.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print recipe
    Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time: 40 minutes mins
    Total Time: 1 hour hr
    Servings: 12 slices

    Tap or hover to scale

    Ingredients 

    • 1 cup all-purpose flour
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 stick unsalted butter softened at room temperature
    • 4 eggs warmed at room temeprature
    • 1 Tablespoon lemon zest freshly grated
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ¾ cup candied fruit
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt

    Chocolate glaze:

    • 1 cup chocolate chips (about 5-6 ounces)
    • 2 teaspoons sunflower oil

    Instructions 

    • Get 4 eggs and carefully separate the egg whites from the yolks. Then beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt and a spoonful of sugar until stiff. Use an electric hand mixer with whisk attachement.
    • In another bowl, cream 1 stick unsalted butter, softened, with egg yolks and the rest of ½ cup granulated sugar until fluffy. Combine 1 cup all-purpose flour with ½ teaspoon baking powder, add ⅛ teaspoon salt.
    • Using a hand spatula, gradually fold the flour and whipped egg whites into the beaten egg yolks, one tablespoon at a time. Finally, stir in 1 Tablespoon lemon zest and ¾ cup candied fruit.
    • Brush the loaf pan with butter and sprinkle with fine breadcrumbs. Pour in the prepared bread dough and smooth the surface.
    • Bake the fruit bread in a preheated oven at 350 °F for about 40 minutes until golden brown. Towards the end of the baking time, make a test for doneness. Insert a wooden skewer into the bread. When it comes out dry, the fruit bread is baked. If dough sticks to the skewer, bake for another 5 minutes.
    • After baking, let the fruit bread cool for about 5 to 10 minutes, and then turn it out of the loaf pan.
    • Allow the fruit bread to cool completely. In the meantime, melt 1 cup chocolate chips in double boiler and add 2 teaspoons sunflower oil. Stir until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
    • Brush the top and sides of the cooled fruit loaf with the glaze. Allow the glaze to set in the refrigerator. Cut the bread into thin slices and serve.

    Notes

    • One Biskupský chlebíček loaf makes 12 slices.
    • Instead of candied fruits, use dry fruits such as dried raisins, cherries, dates, or figs.
    • The butter and eggs must be softened at room temperature before use. If the ingredients are cold, they won't combine properly when beaten, resulting in lumps in the mixture.
    • A nifty trick: If you forget to take the eggs out of the fridge before baking, dip them in warm water for a while.
    • EQUIPMENT: This recipe works perfectly in a 5x9-inch loaf pan.
    • STORAGE: Cover the fruit loaf with plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out. When stored at room temperature, it will stay fresh for about four days.

    Nutritional estimate pro serving

    Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 35mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 326IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
    Servings: 12 slices
    Calories pro serving: 258
    Course: Sweet Bread
    Cuisine: Czech
    Keyword: Bread recipes
    Pin Recipe Share by Email Share on Facebook
    Do you like the recipe?I would be happy for your feedback! Please, rate the recipe and share your opinion or questions in comments bellow. Thank you very much.
    • 163shares

    More from Czech Dessert Recipes

    • Two pieces of Czech Tvarožník cake served on a green plate.
      Tvarožník – Czech-Style Cheesecake
    • Czech buchta with canned peaches, sliced, served on a dessert plate.
      Czech Peach Buchta Sheet Cake
    • Fried and sugared rosettes.
      Fried Rosettes (Czech Rozetky)
    • Czech pudding rolls (pudinkové šneky) served on a plate.
      Pudding Custard Rolls (Czech Pudinkové šneky)

    Leave a star rating and review or ask a question! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating




    Hi, I am Petra, a born-and-raised Czech and self-taught cook with 25+ years of experience. I am here to show you that you can cook Czech food—even if you live abroad or never learned it growing up. With clear steps and trusted guidance, Czech cooking becomes simple, joyful, and meaningful, right in your own kitchen.

    Learn more

    Popular

    • Two slices of bread spread with lard, with a sprinkle of cracklings.
      Rendered Lard and Cracklings (Czech Sádlo a Škvarky)
    • Sliced Carlsbad dumplings (karlovarské knedlíky) on a plate.
      Carlsbad Dumpling Recipe (Czech Karlovarský knedlík)
    • Czech cucumber salad with sour cream and dill.
      Cucumber Salad With Sour Cream and Dill
    • Sliced plecovník Czech Easter bread.
      Plecovník Czech Sausage Bread

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    All Things Czech

    • Czech Recipes
    • Czech Republic
    • Conversions U.S. to metric

    Useful Links

    • Privacy Policy
    • Nutrition Disclosure

    Contact

    • Contact

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 CookLikeCzechs.com