Easter Wreaths

People of all cultures have been creating special breads to celebrate holidays, harvests, religious rites, and other occasions for thousands of years. Easter wreaths are one such example.

Easter wreaths symbolize the crown of thorns worn by Jesus Christ. They are always made of leavened bread, as the rising of the dough reflects the story of Christ rising from his tomb. Wreaths braided from three strands symbolize the Holy Trinity. Adding an egg to the bread represents rebirth, Christ rising from the dead.

Recipe

Ingredients:

Dough for 5 small wreathes

• 500 g flour

• 10 g instant yeast

• 15 g salt

• 80 g butter at room temperature

• 250 ml warm milk

• 1 egg

• 1 egg for the egg wash

• 5 hard boiled eggs

• poppy seeds, sprinkles, sesame seed (optional)

Dough for 1 large wreath

• 500 g flour

• 10 g instant yeast

• 15 g salt

• 80 g butter at room temperature

• 250 ml warm milk

• 1 egg

• 1 egg for the egg wash

• 4 hard boiled eggs

Instructions:

Dough

1. Put flour and yeast into a large bowl, mix well, and sprinkle the salt along the edge.

2. In a separate bowl, mix milk, butter, and eggs.

3. Add the milk mixture to the flour and knead until the dough is soft and elastic (about 15 minutes with an electric mixer).

4. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest in a warm place for about 30 minutes.

Making a large wreath

5. Heat the oven to 200 C (390 F).
6. Take the dough and divide it into 3 strands. Weave these three into a braid.
7. Join the ends of the braid to get a wreath.
8. Decorate the wreath with the hard boiled eggs (in the end those will be replaced with dyed easter eggs).

9. Beat one egg to make egg wash.
10. Brush the wreath with egg wash.
11. Let the wreath rise for about 40 minutes.
12. Bake for about 30 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil if the top starts to brown too much.
13. Take from the oven. Once the wreath has cooled down, remove the hard boiled eggs.

14. Place easter eggs into the holes left behind by hard boiled eggs.

Making small wreathes

1. Heat the oven to 200C (390 F).

2. Take the dough and divide it into 5 pieces. Split each smaller piece into two and shape each into a strand. Join the ends and roll one strand around the other.

3. Join the ends to get a wreath.

4. Place a hard boiled egg into each wreath.

5. Beat one egg to make egg wash.
6. Brush the wreaths with egg wash. You can also sprinkle them with poppy seeds, sprinkles, sesame seed or sugar.
7. Let the wreaths rise for about 40 minutes.
8. Bake for about 30 minutes. Cover with aluminum foil if the top starts to brown too much.
9. Take from the oven. Once the wreaths have cooled down, remove the hard boiled eggs and replace them with easter eggs.