This Dutch Easter bread recipe comes from an 18th-century cookbook and is not that different from modern recipes. Check out the history of this delicious bread.
Happy Easter! I hope you are looking forward to spending time with your family and, of course, hunting for Easter eggs!
To keep our energy up while searching for those chocolate treasures I made this Easter bread. I found this recipe in a Dutch cookbook from 1746, de volmaakte Hollandsche keukenmeid.
Easter is an important Christian feast that has its origin in the Jewish feast of Pesach. Christians celebrate the day that Jesus rose from the dead after being crucified on Good Friday.
Christians celebrate this weekend that Jesus, by sacrificing Himself, has redeemed all the guilt of their sin. In the 16th century, more and more people in Europe converted to Protestantism.
In Germany, they came up with the idea to have Easter eggs hidden from the children by an Easter bunny. Both symbols stand for fertility.
Of course, there are more customs around Easter. Think for example of bringing a palm stick around to older or needy people or the Easter fires that are lit in many parts of the world.
What is Dutch Easter bread?
In the Netherlands modern Easter bread is filled with almond paste much like marzipan. Almond paste was not yet added to Easter bread at that time but of course, you can easily add this yourself.
All You need is 200g of almond paste and 1 egg yolk. Mix the egg yolk through the almond paste, and form a 'snake' the length of your bread.
Put the paste in the middle of the dough and turn the dough back over the snake. Then continue with the recipe below.
More Easter recipes
18th-century Dutch Easter bread
Ingredients
- 4 cups or 500 gram flour
- 1 2/4 cup or 250 gram raisins
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons or 7 gram dry yeast
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons or 30 gram melted butter
- 7 tablespoons or 100 ml luke warm milk
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup or 50 gram sugar
Instructions
- Dissolve the sugar and the yeast in the milk.
- Mix the flour, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl and add the milk, eggs and butter.
- Knead the dough on a well-floured surface for about 10 minutes until you have a soft supple dough.
- Cover with a clean towel and let it rise for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size.
- Shape your dough and let it rise a second time. This takes about 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 180 °C (350°F).
- Place your bread in the centre of the oven and bake for about 30 minutes until golden.
Notes
If you like a softer crust, brush a little melted butter over the top as soon as it comes out of the oven.
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Katerina says
This looks amazing! I beautiful, time-tested simple recipes like this. Thanks for sharing - perfect for all year round I think!