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Slavski kolač
Decorated ceremonial bread
Славски колач: Serbian slava bread decorated with crosses, birds and grapes
The slava is a uniquely Serbian Orthodox custom: each family honours its own patron saint on that saint's feast day, passed from father to son, with a lit candle, boiled wheat (žito) and the slavski kolač, a round, decorated bread. The priest blesses it; the family turns it, cuts a cross into its base, pours a little wine into the cuts, and breaks it together. It is decorated with dough crosses, the seal 'IC XC NI KA', doves, wheat ears and grapes. It is a plain, vegan bread. Chef's tip: keep the decorations' dough a little stiffer than the loaf, so they hold their shape.
- Total time
- 110 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ lb strong white flourplus 50 g for the decorations
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 cups lukewarm water
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 3 tbsp water mixed with 1 tsp sugar
- 1 bread seal (pečat), optional (optional)
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ¾ lb strong white flour, ¼ oz fast-action dried yeast, 2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp sugar. Add 2 cups lukewarm water and 2 tbsp sunflower oil and knead for 10 minutes to a smooth, elastic dough. Take out a quarter of it, knead in 50 g more flour to stiffen it for the decorations, and wrap.
12 minStep 2: Cover the main dough and leave for 1 hour, until doubled.
Step 3: Shape the main dough into a tight round, flatten to about 28 cm and set on a lined tray.
Step 4: From the stiff dough, roll a long rope and lay it across the loaf as a cross. Press 1 bread seal (pečat), optional into the centre if using, or shape the letters by hand. Shape doves, ears of wheat and bunches of grapes and fix them with a little water.
30 minStep 5: Cover and leave for 40 minutes. Brush with 3 tbsp water mixed with 1 tsp sugar. Bake at 400°F (350°F fan) for 15 minutes, then 350°F (325°F fan) for 30–35 minutes, until golden and hollow-sounding. A common mistake is no foil when the decorations brown early: cover them loosely after 20 minutes.
48 minStep 6: Cool on a rack and keep covered until the slava blessing.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 200 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 40 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does slavski kolač take?
- About 110 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 50 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of fast-action dried yeast?
- Fresh yeast, three times the weight.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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