Traditional Czech Easter Bread

Posted on April 14, 2014
Hello Everyone! I wanted to share one of my favorite Easter recipes with you today! This sweet bread is a traditional Czech treat that’s baked year round, but especially for Easter when it’s either formed into a braid or shaped into a round loaf like this. It’s soft on the inside and has a similar taste and texture to Irish soda bread. It’s filled with plump raisins and sprinkled with crunchy almonds, and baked until beautifully golden brown. Everyone has their own version of this recipe, and this is my grandmother’s and the one that I grew up eating. A slice of this sweet bread is the perfect afternoon treat or breakfast. And the best part of this recipe – the thick layers of butter and jam that you (need to!) spread on top!
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TRADITIONAL CZECH EASTER BREAD
(My grandmother’s recipe)
*Makes one loaf*
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YOU WILL NEED
500 g / 4 cups all-purpose flour
70 g / 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 package instant dry yeast
90 g / 6 1/2 tbs unsalted butter, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
250 ml / 10 fl oz lukewarm milk
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 egg plus one egg yolk
1 tbs water
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DIRECTIONS
1. Start by mixing together the package of yeast with the lukewarm milk in a small bowl. Add a pinch of sugar and stir gently, then cover it with a kitchen towel and let it sit for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is frothy. In the meantime, soak your raisins to make them plump (do this by letting them soak in some boiling water or orange juice for a couple of minutes) then drain them and set them aside.
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2. In your electric mixer bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar (this loaf isn’t too sweet so add in more sugar if you prefer extra sweetness). Add in the egg yolk, salt and vanilla extract and mix until you have a smooth, creamy mixture. Then, add in the yeast mixture and mix again. Sift in the flour in three portions and add in the drained raisins at the end. Mix with the dough hook attachment for about a minute, until a soft dough forms. Place the dough in a large, greased bowl, cover it and let it rise in a warm spot for at least an hour, or until it has doubled in size.
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3. Once the dough has risen, take it out and shape it into a ball, smoothing out the surface. Place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cover it with a kitchen towel. In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350 deg F and make your egg wash by whisking together an egg with about a tablespoon of water. Take off the kitchen towel and brush the loaf with the egg wash and sprinkle it generously with the sliced almonds. Bake for 45 – 55 minutes, until the loaf is golden brown and an inserted toothpick comes out clean. If the loaf begins to brown too much, just cover it with some foil to prevent it from burning. Let cool, then slice and spread (generously!) with butter and your favorite jam! (*Note: my grandmother’s original recipe is in metric measurements which I usually try to follow, I have inserted approximate cup/oz measurements for this recipe).
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For more of my family recipes, check out THESE Heart Shaped Linzer Cookies or THIS Classic Apple Strudel Recipe!

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Happy Baking, Everyone!
I will be linking to THESE wonderful blogs!

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  • Ordinary J April 14, 2014 at 7:02 pm

    This recipe looks great. I like that it’s a Czech recipe because I’m always interested in experience another culture through food.

  • Chris Coyle April 16, 2014 at 10:22 pm

    I was reading this wanting to tear it open to see the inside and slather that jam onto it. Will definitely be trying thi some (maybe with some diced apricots thrown in with the raisins). [#PinItThurs] 🙂

  • Sherri April 17, 2014 at 8:38 am

    Oh my, this looks so yummy. My family would love it 🙂 Pinned!

    • Maria April 17, 2014 at 11:19 am

      Thank you, Sherri 🙂

  • Sandi April 17, 2014 at 9:16 am

    Wow, my husband is Czech and would love this. I need to figure out a way to make it gluten free for him. Thanks for this recipe! Pinning for later

    • Maria April 17, 2014 at 11:22 am

      Hi Sandi! Thanks so much for stopping by! Maybe your husband would know the bread, it’s called “mazanec” in Czech, it’s similar to Irish soda bread in taste & texture. Wish I could help you with a GF version, but I’m not an expert in that department!! Happy Easter to you! 🙂

  • Julie Murphy April 19, 2014 at 5:49 pm

    I was going to try making an Easter bread this year but never got around to it….might still do it after seeing yours. The look and sound so good.

  • Miz Helen April 21, 2014 at 9:29 am

    Your Easter Bread looks fantastic! Hope you had a great weekend and thank you so much for sharing your awesome recipe with Full Plate Thursday. Have a good week and come back soon!
    Miz Helen

  • Cathy Trochelman April 26, 2014 at 5:32 pm

    I love Grandma’s recipes 🙂 Thanks for sharing!

  • Laura March 28, 2016 at 5:39 am

    I also grew up with this Easter bread known as Mazanec 🙂 Baked 8 loaves for family and friends. I stumbled across this blog looking for similar recipes so I could compare to what my mother taught me. Is this blog still going?

    • ahomemadeliving April 17, 2016 at 10:36 am

      Hi Laura! Sorry for the late response… Life has been busy these days and I haven’t had as much time to blog! Wow 8 loaves is a lot! How fun! Hope you had a wonderful Easter!

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