Easter is here and the city of Prague has been gearing up for the celebrations. The first signs of Velikonoce (Easter) are the markets that open up all over the city. The small vendors sell traditional hand decorated Easter eggs, and pomlázka which are decorated pussywillow twigs. Along with many other souvenirs you will also find gingerbreads baked in the shape of lambs, eggs and even chicks. At the markets you will also have a choice of typical Czech food and beer to enjoy as you take a stroll through the markets.
I am not religious so Easter is not a holiday I have paid attention to in the Czech Republic. From what I’ve seen and know about Easter in the Czech Republic, I would say it is more like a celebration of spring than a religious holiday. Czech Republic was under communism for a long time and religion was oppressed. Communism has been replaced by commercialism and the freedom to practice any religion. While most Czechs have no religion there are Christians here who will be going through the rituals of Easter as well as the nonreligious people following with tradition. Easter eggs will be decorated, traditional Easter dishes will be served and the boys will visit girls to spank them with their pomlazka. The pomlazka is used because tradition says that by being spanked the girls will be blessed with health and beauty during the whole year. I’m ready to be spanked, who else is with me? The spanking is accompanied by traditional carols and the boys are rewarded/thanked with a special hand decorated egg from the girls. If it’s men that do the spanking then they get a shot of alcohol. It’s almost like trick or treating in the states, the boys want to visit as many girls and receive as many rewards as possible. Some girls get their revenge by pouring buckets of cold water on the boys. This all sounds like fun and a bit naughty, lets move on shall we?
As is typical of many holidays, religious or not, around the world there is always food to go with the celebrations. I will be telling you about the baked Easter treats. Czechs will be baking gingerbread, cakes shape like a lamb that are dusted with powdered sugar, cross buns, Jidasky buns, and Mazanec which I will be showing you how to bake today. Mazanec is a sweet yeasted bread made with rum soaked raisins and topped with almonds. The bread has a crusty golden surface but is soft and delicious inside. You don’t have to be religious or wait for Easter to bake this bread. It make a great accompaniment to coffee or tea and it can be enjoy at breakfast or as dessert.
Mazanec Czech Easter Bread
adapted from Albert Magazine
* You can cut the recipe in half to make a smaller loaf if you like.*
4 tbsp. rum
150 g or 5 oz raisins
42 g or 1.5 oz fresh yeast
400 ml or 13/4 cup lukewarm milk, use whole milk
200 g or 7 oz (1 cup) sugar
1 kl or 2.2 lbs. a.p flour
1/2 tsp. lemon zest or orange zest
4 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
40 g or 2 heaping tbsp butter
4 tbsp sunflower oil
slivered almonds to decorate
3 bowls, parchment paper, baking sheet
1. In a bowl pour the rum over the raisins, stir well and set aside.
Yeast starter:
In a bowl combine the yeast, milk and a couple tablespoons of the sugar. Set aside.
Once the yeast has risen : In a separate bowl combine the flour, rum soaked raisins, salt, and lemon zest. Stir to well combine the ingredients. In a separate bowl mix together 3 of the eggs,melted butter, oil until well combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour the yeast and egg, fat liquid into the dry ingredients. Work the dough until it becomes a smooth and elastic dough. If need be add a little more flour. Grease a large bowl, place the dough, cover and allow to rise for 11/2 hours.
Punch the dough down, divide the dough in halves, knead and shape into two loafs. Place the loaves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly beat the remaining egg and brush over the loaves. Allow them to raise for another 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 180c or 356 f. Sprinkle the almonds over the loaves, and bake in center of oven for 35 – 40 minutes. If the top of the loaves is browning too much cover with aluminum foil for the remaining time. Allow to cool before slicing.
Serve with butter, honey, jam or any other toppings desired. Enjoy and Veselé Velikonoce! (Happy Easter!)
- !Ingredients Needed:
- 4 tbsp. rum
- 150 g or 5 oz raisins
- 42 g or 1.5 oz fresh yeast
- 400 ml or 1.75 cup lukewarm milk, use whole milk
- 200 g or 7 oz (1 cup) sugar
- 1 kl or 2.2 lbs. all purpose flour
- ½ tsp. lemon zest or orange zest
- 4 eggs
- ½ tsp salt
- 40 g or 2 heaping tbsp butter
- 4 tbsp sunflower oil
- slivered almonds to decorate
- !Utensils Needed:
- 3 bowls
- parchment paper
- baking sheet
- In a bowl pour the rum over the raisins, stir well and set aside.
- Yeast starter: in a bowl combine the yeast, milk and a couple tablespoons of the sugar. Set aside.
- Once the yeast has risen, in a separate bowl combine the flour, rum soaked raisins, salt, and lemon zest. Stir to well combine the ingredients. In a separate bowl mix together 3 of the eggs,melted butter, oil until well combined. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients, pour the yeast and egg, fat liquid into the dry ingredients. Work the dough until it becomes a smooth and elastic dough. If need be add a little more flour. Grease a large bowl, place the dough, cover and allow to rise for one an a half hours.
- Punch the dough down, divide the dough in halves, knead and shape into two loafs. Place the loaves on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly beat the remaining egg and brush over the loaves. Allow them to raise for another 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 180c or 356 f. Sprinkle the almonds over the loaves, and bake in center of oven for 35 – 40 minutes. If the top of the loaves is browning too much cover with aluminum foil for the remaining time. Allow to cool before slicing.
I'm not religious either and i don't wanna get spanked! :D Mazanec bread sounds intriguing and looks so good! Happy Earth Day Nancy!
Tanantha, But it means you'll be blessed with good health and beauty. So it's a good spanking, hehe :) Happy Earth Day sweetie!
I am enjoying all the posts about Easter celebrations in different countries. I've never heard of any other spanking tradition. That does sound naughty.
The bread looks good. I like the rum , fruits and citrus zest in it.
What a great festive post… I love the hand painted eggs and that there is rum in this bread.. and all the traditional values its such a significant reason to honor the day… lovely!
@Adora's Box, I think it's a uniquely Czech tradition. Yes, the rum added a really good flavor. I highly recommend it.
@Claudia, Thanks :)
This looks wonderful! I love your fantastic sense of presentation! Great story too..I know what you are talking about 100% and feel the same way..it is celebration of Spring more than religions in my house too!
That looks lovely. I can nearly smell it from here.
I so want to visit Prague – especially the Christmas markets. It seems such a wonderful place with amazing architecture
beautiful bread! simply perfect!
Let the spanking begin….but after we have some of your delicious bread. Happy Cooking!
Your home looks like a studio to me!
Oh my, I nearly fell out of my chair laughing at this tradition of spanking. That's pretty funny, I have to say. I'd love to see it in action (while munching some of your Easter Bread!).
Rum soaked raisins in an Easter bread, wow, I'll take a piece of this one;-)
I love your photos, they really set the stage and create a feeling for this special holiday bread.
Hope you enjoy your holiday and if you get spanked, well I guess that's a good thing,lol;-)
That is a gorgeous Easter Bread!
And if spanking brings me great health and luck, well then, I'll be glad to get spanked asap! ;-)
How funny! I'm always fascinated by the strange traditions from all over the world. Equally fascinated by the delicious traditional foods. Great Easter bread.
You know I totally forgot that you live in Prague – if I had remembered, when I was there I would have been always saying to myself “Hmm, I wonder f that's Spicie Foodie??” lol! I definitely got the impression that the Czech (or Prague) spirit is far too independent to be very religious, which I love about it, and can well imagine that Easter is, as you say, more about Spring. I am down with that for sure. Beautiful bread!!
What a fun interesting delicious post! Happy Spring, Easter, Earth Day!
xop
What a gorgeous bread! I'd love to be the spanker, not the spankee :)
hahahahhaaaaa… love this post and the spanking! : j
Hola Nancy: Tu blog está padrísimo. Un saludo desde Guadalajara, México.
Tere.
Hola Nancy: Tu blog está padrísimo. Un saludo desde Guadalajara, México.
Tere.
Hola Nancy: Tu blog está padrísimo. Un saludo desde Guadalajara, México.
Tere.
Hola Nancy: Tu blog está padrísimo. Un saludo desde Guadalajara, México.
Tere.
Thank you everyone, I'm glad you enjoyed reading about Czech traditions.
Tere, Que gusto, yo tambien soy de Jalisco! Gracias por visitiarme.
Hola Nancy: Tu blog está padrísimo. Saludos desde Guadalajara, México.
Tere
The Easter bread looks so fluffy and delicious! I like to hear about traditions from all over the word. I'm from Romania, not far from Czech Republic, but the traditions are different. Of course we have eggs (most of them are red, some very nice painted), and in some parts of the country girls pour water over boys, I'm not sure for Easter, but it's nice how some traditions keep along all over Europe :)
What an absolutely delightful bread, I so love the almond topping and hints of orange here…gorgeous! And I am loving the traditions you are sharing with us…I am very willing to be spanked :) How fun!
Hi, as I am a czech girl, I can tell that your mazanec looks like my mum's! It looks really delicious and authentic. Did you ever got spanked with pomlázka? Trust me, it really hurts. :-)
@Teresa, Mucho gusto!
@Mihaela, It is nice getting to know about the different celebrations and traditions around the world. They are what make us unique so it's great to experience.
@Alisha, Yay! You're with me :) Hehe
@Kopytko, Dekuji Vam! -Thank you so much :) All Czechs girls are telling me about running away so as not to get spanked, hehe.
Hmm… a kinky Easter? I love it!