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All posts, Baking, Blog, Dessert, Easter

Polish Easter Bread With Dried Fruits Recipe [Chlebiczek]

Name: Polish Easter Bread With Dried Fruits Recipe (Chlebiczek)
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 3 tsps of instant yeast OR 0.35oz (10g) of fresh yeast; 1 ⅔ cup (200g) of all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp of sugar; 1 tbsp of butter; 10 tbsps of milk; a pinch of salt; 11 oz (300g) of dried fruits; ½ cup of rum (not necessary); egg white to brush chlebiczek

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A rare recipe from the Polish town of Cieszyn, this bread filled with nuts and dry fruits is an Easter favorite. The dark golden yeast-based bread is a typical Silesian Easter dish.

What Is Chlebiczek?

Chlebiczek is a traditional Easter Bread from the town of Cieszyn in the Slask or Silesian region of Poland. You may hear of this bread referred to as a Cieszyn Fruit Easter Bread or Cieszynski Chlebiczek Owocowy Wielkanocny.

Polish Easter bread chlebiczek on a chopping board. — Chlebiczek is a traditional Polish Easter bread from the Silesian region

The recipe for the chlebiczek bread was first found in the book Nasza Kuchnia (Our Kitchen) written by Walburgia Fójcikowa in 1937.

You won’t find this bread in Polish delis. To taste it you’ll have to visit the towns surrounding Cieszyn in Silesian Poland. But if you want to make it at home, here’s the recipe!

How To Make Some Scrumptious Polish Easter Bread With Dried Fruits?

Soak the dried fruits in rum or water for some time. Proof the yeast and melt the butter.

Dried fruit soaking in rum. — Soak the dried fruit in rum or water

Prepare the dough for the Easter bread and let it rest for about an hour. Roll out the dough to about an inch thick, fill it with dry fruits and close it up.

Dough for chlebiczek bread in s steel pot. — Let the dough for chlebiczek bread rest for an hour

Roll out the dough on a floured surface. — Roll out the dough on a floured surface

Add the nuts to the center of the dough. — Add the dried fruit and nuts to the center of the dough

Seal the bread dough completely. — Seal the bread dough completely

Turn the dough over, brush with egg white and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes. Serve slices of this Easter bread with hot tea or milk!

Brush the Easter bread with egg white. — Brush the Easter bread with egg white

Chlebiczek bread on a chopping board. — Chlebiczek bread just out of the oven

Chlebiczek bread for Easter. — Chlebiczek bread originated in the town of Cieszyn

What Other Polish Dishes Can I Make For Easter?

Other Polish dishes that can be made for Easter include:

Tips For Making Polish Easter Bread With Dried Fruits

You can soak the fruits in brandy instead of rum.
It is not necessary to soak the fruits in rum or any alcohol.
You can add some pre-soaked fruit with the other dried fruits in the Easter bread.
This bread is traditionally made 30 cm by 10 cm in size.
Use any dry fruits or nuts of your choice – cranberries, raisins, apricots, almonds, walnuts, dates, prunes, pine nuts, etc.
You can replace the dried fruits with candied peel too.
Serve with a hot cup of tea or cider!

Silesian Cieszyn Easter bread on a chopping board. — This Easter bread from Cieszyn is a rare recipe!

FAQs About Chlebiczek Easter Bread

What Does The Chlebiczek Owocowy Wielkanocny Taste Like?

The Chlebiczek Easter bread tastes yeasty with an aftertaste of nuts.

Is It Possible To Make The Chlebiczek Vegetarian?

Yes, to make the Chlebiczek bread vegetarian, simply replace egg white used for brushing with honey or milk instead.

Is It Possible To Make The Chlebiczek Vegan?

Yes, to make the Chlebiczek bread vegan, make these substitutions:

Replace egg white with maple syrup.
Replace the butter with vegan butter.
Replace the milk with coconut milk or almond milk.

How To Store Leftover Polish Easter With Dried Fruits?

Leftover Polish Easter bread can be stored in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days or in the freezer for 3 months. Reheat before serving!

Polish Easter Bread With Dried Fruits Recipe [Chlebiczek]

Yield: 10 servings

Polish Easter Bread With Dried Fruits Recipe (Chlebiczek)

A rare Polish dark golden yeast-based bread. This bread from Cieszyn, Silesia is filled with nuts and dry fruits and is an Easter favorite.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

3 tsps of instant yeast OR 0.35oz (10g) of fresh yeast
1 ⅔ cup (200g) of all-purpose flour
1 tbsp of sugar
1 tbsp of butter
10 tbsps of milk
a pinch of salt
11 oz (300g) of dried fruits
½ cup of rum (not necessary)
egg white to brush chlebiczek

Instructions

Chop dried fruits and soak them with rum or water for about 30 minutes.
Mix yeast with 5 tbsps of warm milk and sugar. Leave for 15 minutes to activate the yeast.
Melt butter.
After 15 minutes add the remaining ingredients to the yeast mixture (5 tbsps of milk, melted butter, flour, a pinch of salt).
Place the dough in a bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean kitchen cloth and leave for 1 hour in a warm place for the dough to grow.
Preheat the oven to 356°F (180°C).
Drain the fruits.
Roll out the dough on the floured surface to about 1'' thickness.
Place the fruits in the middle of the dough.
Seal the dough, making sure the fruits stay inside.
Place the chlebiczek on the baking tray lined with parchment paper (uneven surface facing down).
Brush the chlebiczek with egg white.
Bake for 30-40 minutes until chlebiczek changes the color to brownish.