Mazanec

Mazanec is my favourite Easter dessert. It’s a sweet bread which is fluffy and full of raisins and almonds. We usually eat it as a dessert but it’s absolutely amazing for breakfast.

How to serve mazanec

A lot of people like to eat just a slice without anything. I like it with butter, but if you want to be creative, you can add some fruit and nuts, pour it with a spoonful of honey or, for example after 3 days, when it becomes dry, coat some slices in a sweet milk-egg mixture and make amazing French toasts.

What is the best consistency of the dough

Everyone has their own method how to make the best mazanec dough. Somebody makes it more liquid to have their mazanec more soft, somebody adds a lot of butter to make it moist… In my view, the best way is to make it as fluffy as possible. And if you have the same opinion, don’t add any egg whites, not a lot of butter and don’t worry to add some water. Somebody uses only milk for this recipe, but when you mix it with water, the result will be mesmerizing.

Recipe:

Yield: 1 loaf

Time: 3 hours and 40 minutes

4g active dry yeast

1/3 cup / 80ml warm milk

40ml warm water

1/4 cup / 50g sugar

2 yolks

2 cups / 240g all-purpose flour

1/8 cup / 30g butter

30g raisins

1/3 cup / 80ml boiling water

2 tablespoons rum

30g almonds

egg for the egg wash

step 1

In a mixing bowl combine the yeast with milk, water and sugar. Let it chill for 5 minutes and then add the yolks and flour. Start kneading at low speed and knead for 10 minutes.

step 2

Cut the butter into small cubes and add them into the bowl with your dough. Knead for another 10 minutes at medium speed, then cover with a towel and place the bowl in a warm place and let the dough rise for 90 minutes.

step 3

Put the raisins into a bowl and pour them with the hot water and rum. Let them soak for 30 minutes and chopp the almonds.

step 4

Remove the raisins from your water-rum mixture and mix them into the dough together with the chopped almonds. Make a nice round loaf and put it into a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Cover with a towel and let it rise for 1 hour.

step 5

Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F.

step 6

Brush the loaf with the beaten egg. If you want, you can sprinkle it with more almonds, cut the loaf crosswise and bake for 30 minutes.

step 7

Let the loaf completely cool and sprinkle with some icing sugar.