Cinnamon Easter Wreath
In Slovakia, this special-occasion bake makes an appearance at Easter,
but I enjoy preparing this beauty any time of year.
Škoricový veniec
From Babka Erika
This cinnamon-sweet Slovak bread is beautifully intricate and decorative, but no need to be intimidated! The shape, achieved by slicing the filled dough into two strands and gently winding them together, results in a stunning finish that doesn’t require intricate plaiting. Just my kind of bake: I still leave the seven-strand braided Christmas vianočka bread to my husband every year. Too many strands to tangle!
Storing & saving
Consume in 2-3 days
Yields
1 wreath
Baking notes
When I translated this an other recipes from Slovak, I continued to use grams as a unit of measurement. I have included conversions to cups here, though these measurements can be a little unorthodox. If possible, give a food scale a try to help achieve the most accurate measurements!
Ingredients
250 ml warm milk + 50-100ml milk as needed 250ml teplého mlieka
1 1/2 tsp sugar 1 1/2 čajovú lyžičku cukru
1 heaping tablespoon yeast 1 kopcovité polievkovú lyžicu droždie
500g/4 c flour 500g múka
1/2 tsp salt 1/2 čajovú lyžičku soli
1 egg yolk 1 žĺtok
150g/ 3/4 c sugar 150g cukor
125g/ 1/2 c softened butter 125g zmäknutého masla
35g/ 2 3/4 Tbsp cinnamon 35g škorice
Handful of walnuts, chopped Hrsť vlašských orechov, nadrobno pokrájanej
In a small bowl, combine warm milk, 1 tsp of the sugar and yeast to make a sponge. Stir to mix and leave to sit for ten minutes.
Babka says: by combining the elements that yeast likes to most, you will give your dough a head start before the proving process even begins.
In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add the egg yolk and sponge. Mix in the mixer at a low speed with a dough hook (or by hand in the bowl).
Add milk as needed to bring dough to the proper consistency.
Babka says: the dough should be a shiny ball that does not stick to the walls of the bowl.
Cover the dough and set aside to prove for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
While the dough is rising, put the softened butter, sugar and cinnamon into a bowl and blend with a wooden spoon. Chop the walnuts and set aside.
When the dough is ready, roll out into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface.
Spread the cinnamon-sugar butter onto the dough (you may not need to use all of it). Top with chopped walnuts.
Starting at the bottom (longest side of the rectangle), roll the dough up to create a sausage shape.
Leaving ~1” at the top (to hold the dough ‘strands’ together and to make the weaving easier) cut the dough in half so that you have two strands.
Twist the strands so that they face upwards.
Weave the strands back and forth over one another, then join together to make a wreath. Pinch the ends together so that they hold.
Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 27-30 minutes at 350F/180C.
Allow to cool and slice to serve.
