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Czech Easter bread mazanec.
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Czech Sweet Easter Bread (Mazanec)

When talking about typical Easter treats baked in the Czech Republic, you can’t forget mazanec, sweet Easter bread! Also known as „velikonoční bochánek“, it’s one of Czech Easter’s main symbols.
Course Sweet Bread
Cuisine Czech
Keyword czech easter food
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Rising 2 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 40 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 283kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (390 g) plus for dusting the work surface
  • ¾ cup milk (180 ml) lukewarm
  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100 g)
  • ½ stick unsalted butter (60 g) softened at room temperature
  • 2 eggs remove a piece of egg white from the eggs and reserve it for an egg brush
  • 2 und ½ Tablespoons raisins dried
  • 2 Tablespoons almonds chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon zest freshly grated; the zest from about one small lemon
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla paste or vanilla essence
  • pinch of salt

For finishing:

  • 1 and ½ Tablespoons sliced almonds to garnish
  • ½ egg white you reserved earlier when made the dough

Instructions

  • Pour the lukewarm milk into a cup, and stir in a teaspoon of sugar and the dried yeast. Let stand in a warm place for about 15 minutes until the yeast has risen, and bubbles have formed on the surface of the milk.
  • Remove a piece of egg white from the eggs and reserve it for later. Before baking, it will serve as an egg wash to brush the mazanec bread.
  • Put the flour, sugar, salt, vanilla, lemon zest, softened butter, and eggs in a large bowl. Pour in the yeast starter, including the milk.
  • Make the dough: First, roughly mix all the ingredients in the bowl with a wooden spoon, then dump the mass on the work surface. Spread a small handful of flour on the edge of the work surface. Process the dough until it is soft and smooth. If it sticks, always 'dip' it in the spread flour and work it in.
  • Now add the roughly chopped almonds and raisins to the dough and work them into the batter.
  • Return the dough to the bowl, cover it with plastic wrap, and put it in a warm place to rise for an hour.
  • Knead the dough briefly, shape it into a loaf and place it seam side down on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Leave in a warm place for another hour and a half to rise.
  • Make two cross-shaped cuts on the surface - a regular razor blade worked best for me. You can also take a pair of scissors and cut the cross. Using a fork, whisk the egg white you have set aside and brush mazanec on all sides. Sprinkle the surface with sliced almonds.
  • Place the cake in an oven preheated to 374°F / 190°C (lower and upper heating) for 10 minutes, then turn the temperature down to 320°F / 160°C and bake for a further 30 minutes. If the bread starts to brown too much on the surface, place the foil loosely over it.

Notes

  • Makes one 11-inch (28 cm) mazanec bread.
  • Give the dough time to rise! The mazanec bread will crack during baking if you rush the second rise.
  • SERVING: Let the baked mazanec cool down. Place the finished bread on a platter and set it on the Easter table. Next to mazanec, arrange some spring flowers and colored Easter eggs.
  • Eat this delicious bread on its own for Easter morning or Easter brunch. In our family, we spread butter on it, and sometimes we add some jam or honey. A day or two old mazanec tastes greatly toasted in a frying pan with a knob of butter or dipped in white coffee.

Nutrition

Calories: 283kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 23mg | Potassium: 168mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 219IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg