Archive for the ‘Bread’ Category
Croatian Easter Bread Recipe
Recipe: Authentic Croatian Easter Bread Recipe
Croatian Easter bread, or pinca as it is also known as, is a special sweet loaf which is popular in Croatia, Slovenia and some regions in Italy. The usual way of presenting a Croatian Easter bread recipe is to place it in a cross at the center of the table. A lot of Croatian bakers also make another variation of pinca, which is known as “primorski uskrsne bebe” and this is made by braiding pinca dough around a colored boiled egg, so it looks a bit like the swaddled baby Jesus. The colored egg represents the head and the dough which is braided around and underneath it looks like the swaddling.
This recipe contains orange and lemon zest for fruitiness, as well as vanilla. Brandy is used to add flavor. Use grape brandy if you can find it because this is used in the traditional recipe. The bread is slashed three times across before baking so you can easily tear it into six wedges when it is cooked. Serve it with butter or just as it is. It is especially delicious served warm from the oven.
Whether you especially wanted to make a typical Easter bread or simply something a bit different, this Croatian Easter bread recipe is really tasty and its vanilla and citrus flavors are really special. This easy recipe calls for fresh yeast which you can buy from your local bakery or pizza parlor.
Photo Description:
Warm bread is such a great comfort food and, as you can see in the picture, a circular loaf cut into six wedges makes a change from the boring white loaves you usually buy from the store. Why not make this easy Croatian Easter bread recipe? You can make it for Easter but it is too good to only make once a year. If you fancy sampling this vanilla and citrus-scented loaf, you will be pleased that it is so easy to make. Also, the loaves are round so you do not need to invest in loaf tins either. This Croatian Easter bread recipe has a wonderful aroma while it bakes and the flavor is great.
Croatian Easter Bread Recipe
How to Make Pinca Like a Croatian Baker
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 ½ oz fresh yeast
- 7 oz plus 1 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 ½ lbs all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup butter
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup lukewarm water
For Brushing:
- 1 beaten egg
- 4 teaspoons white sugar
Instructions
- Crumble the yeast into small pieces, then mix it with 3 oz of the flour (warm it beforehand), 1 tablespoon sugar and the water in a bowl.
- Cover it with a towel and let it rise in a warm place.
- Heat the rest of the flour, then rub in the butter until it looks like fine breadcrumbs.
- Make a well in the middle and add the egg yolks, orange and lemon zests, sugar, brandy, vanilla extract, and yeast mixture.
- Mix well to form a dough, adding some warm milk if necessary.
- Let it double in volume in a warm place.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal-sized pieces and form a pair of round loaves.
- Put them on greased baking paper and let them double in volume again.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Make three slashes right across each piece, so they will break into 6 wedges each when cooked.
- Brush some beaten egg over the loaves.
- Sprinkle the sugar over them and bake for 45 minutes.
- (Makes 2 Loaves)
