judases with sugar

mazanec

judases = jidáše

mazanec (well, this one looks more like pletenec) with raisins

sugared mazanec with almonds

beránek

beránci with coating

just removed from the mold

this one reminds me of my dog…

Czech cuisine: Easter dishes 

more info on image’s captions

Jidáše (judases) are made from sourdough bread sweetened with honey. Rolled out strands are reminders of Judas’s betrayal and his subsequent death on the rope. Nowadays they are pretty rare and it’s not easy to find them in bakeries. 

Mazanec is a popular Easter cake from sweet sourdough with added raisins or almonds. It is one of the oldest Czech ceremonial pastries and families traditionally brought it on Saturday to the church to let it be consecrated. Some people even make mazanec for Christmas (or more precisely its variant called vánočka).

Beránek (lamb) is a kind of sweet baked food in the shape of lying lamb. In the sweet dough we can find raisins or pieces of jelly. In some cases the lamb is poured over with chocolate or any other sweet coating. People in the Czech lands used to eat real lamb during Easter (because in the Bible is roasted lamb listed as a ceremonial meal before deparature of the Jews from Egypt), but sheep breeding decreased over years around here so lamb baked from dough became tasty substitute for this custom.