Easter Kalács

I have no idea how to say kalács in English without causing misunderstandings… Every country has its own version of kalács. It is originally a somewhat richer bread. Mostly with heavy cream or butter, but while it is common for bread to be made with sourdough, kalács is mostly made with yeast.

Maybe the best version would be something like Easter brioche bread.

In Hungary, kalács, especially braided kalács, is traditionally made for Easter. You can find a lot of recipes on the internet. I tried at least four already, and this was the best yet. It is made with heavy cream and not butter. The result is a fluffy, soft brioche bread that will not get dry the next day. It is delicious with coffee and orange marmalade.

As I always struggle with the special braiding of kalács, I found it great that you can make wound kalács as well. Instead of braiding the dough strands like hair, you can make a round form: put two strands vertically in front of you, and two other strands perpendicular to them. One vertical strand goes under the upper horizontal strand, and the other vertical strand under the second horizontal strand. Then, of the two lower strands, place the left one perpendicularly on the right-hand side of the dough, and then on the top and right side as well. When you get around, repeat the operation backwards: now bend the strands that have remained motionless until now in the opposite direction.

When you are ready, pinch the short ends of the dough together.