Baked goods in some form or other are staples of Easter traditions across Europe. The Hungarians have fonott kalacs; Italians have colomba pasquale, and the English have their hot-cross buns.

Here in the Czech Republic, the two classic Easter baked goods are mazanec and beránek. Apart from sharing some connections to other European customs, these two foods can lay claim to centuries of tradition.

Long-lasting food

Mazanec is a sweet, though not cloyingly so, bread filled with raisins and often topped with almonds. Beránek is a cake baked in the shape of a lamb. Many commercial varieties are covered in chocolate.

The earliest evidence of baking mazanec apparently goes back to the 15th century. The noted Czech writer Magdalena Dobromila Rettigová later included a recipe in her popular cookbook, Domací kuchařka, (a Household Cookery Book).

The tradition of baking lamb-shaped sweet bread extends even further back in time. It is claimed the Jewish people of ancient times prepared bread in the shape of a lamb.

The basic ingredients of mazanec haven’t changed much. It is made from flour, yeast, milk and eggs. Rettigová’s version called for sweetened cream and grated lemon rind. Today, people add sugar, vanilla, and sometimes nutmeg, though none of these items would have been so widely available centuries ago.

Mazanec probably got a foothold into the culture because it and similar breads were cheap festive dishes in the past. In Czech history the bread had a strong association with poorer families. The food was a treat, but it wasn’t too extravagant.

Mazanec

The beránek, while older, has undergone more changes. The more recent chocolate-coated sponge cake varieties would have been unrecognizable to Jewish people thousands of years ago or to Czechs of the late Middle Ages. Yet, when one is properly prepared it has an obvious visual appeal and its symbolism makes it an attractive centerpiece on the Easter table.

The enduring popularity of both no doubt also stems from people’s love of baking and baked goods, especially when they are prepared by family members. These simple traditions reinforce those family bonds, especially when a recipe has been handed down.

Beránek

Recipes: 

Easter bread (Mazanec)

• 1/2 kg flour (polohrubá)
• 120 g melted butter
• 100 g sugar
• 3 yolks
• 1 cube (42g) of fresh yeast
• 2 dcl lukewarm milk
• Pinch of salt
• 30 g sliced almonds
• 40 g raisins
• Vanilla
• Lemon peel
• Rum
• Almonds for sprinkling

Make the kvásek (yeast mixture)from half of the lukewarm milk, one teaspoon of sugar, and crumbled yeast. In a separate bowl, beat the butter with sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, lemon peel, salt, a little bit of rum. Slowly add the leavened yeast mixture and the rest of the milk.

Little by little start adding flour, almonds, and raisins. Knead the dough with a wooden spoon until bubbles are made. Cover it with a dishtowel, place on a warm place and let it rise for 1 hour.  Shape one or two loaves, place on a baking sheet, and brush with whisked egg and sprinkle with sliced almonds. Bake at 180 C for about 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 100 C and bake for another 30 minutes (the total amount depends on the size of the loaves).

Lamb Cake (Beránek)

• 4 eggs (whites and yolks separated)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 and 1/2 cup flour (polohrubá)
• 1 package (12g) of baking powder
• 1 package of vanilla sugar
• 1 package (200ml) of whipping cream
• Butter for buttering the mold
• Flour (hrubá) for sifting the mold

Butter a middle-sized lamb-shaped mold and sift with flour. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Whip the yolks with sugar. Add flour mixed with baking powder and vanilla sugar. Pour cream and then carefully add the whipped eggwhites. Pour into the mold and bake for 45 minutes.

Would you like us to write about your business? Find out more