There is something truly sacred about growing up in a family that honours tradition. I count myself incredibly lucky to have a mother who, no matter how busy life became, always carved out time for the little moments—the kind of moments I will now cherish forever.
Whether it was the scent of spices on Easter morning or the ritual of decorating our Christmas tree, I grew up at her knee. She taught me not just how to bake, but how to become the woman I am today. She is my best friend, my rock, and a true connoisseur of flavours. In many ways, she is the birthplace of The Truffle Journal and my entire culinary life, unless, of course, I look even further back to my grandmother.
Tradition is a value I hold dear and one I am so hopeful to share with you. Those magical mornings spent baking Easter rings or setting up the Osterzweig (a beautiful German tradition of hanging eggs on branches) are etched into my memory.
I hope that by trying this recipe and sharing it around a table with your loved ones, you feel inspired to create your own yearly rituals. This Easter Ring is essentially a "glorified" hot cross bun meets a cinnamon roll, a total game-changer for your holiday table.
Serves: 8
Ingredients
The Dough 500g flour, sifted
5ml salt
55g sugar
10ml ground mixed spice
10ml ground nutmeg
5ml ground cinnamon
10g instant dry yeast
60g butter
150ml milk
1 egg, beaten
125ml lukewarm water
150g cake fruit mix
The Filling
80g butter
60g castor sugar
30ml cinnamon
180g cake fruit mix
1 egg
12.5ml milk
The Icing
85g icing sugar, sifted
15ml water (or brandy, for a festive kick)
5ml vanilla essence
The Process
In a mixing bowl, combine the first six dry ingredients. Once combined, sprinkle the dry yeast over the top.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter into the milk. Once melted, set it aside to cool slightly.
Combine the dry ingredients and the fruit mix with the egg and the milk-butter mixture. Slowly add enough lukewarm water until it forms a soft, pliable dough.
You can use a stand mixer with a dough hook for this part. Knead for 10 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic. It should not be too sticky; if it is, add a tiny bit of flour until the dough feels balanced.
Lightly flour your counter and place the dough on the surface, covering it with a greased glass mixing bowl.
Allow the dough to rest in a warm environment for 20 minutes. I often leave my oven on low to warm the kitchen or place the dough in a sunny spot.
Once rested, roll the dough out into a rectangle roughly 35cm by 25cm. Be sure to flour your surface so it doesn't stick.
For the filling, cream the butter and sugar together in a small bowl. Spread this mixture all over the rectangle as if you are buttering toast.
Sprinkle the cinnamon over the butter and top evenly with the fruit mix.
Starting at the long side, tightly roll the rectangle up like a Swiss roll.
Place the roll onto a lightly greased baking tray and shape it into a ring, joining the ends.
Score the ring into 5cm slices using a sharp knife, keeping the slices joined near the inner circle.
Cover with greased cling wrap and leave in a warm place for a further 10 minutes, or until the ring has doubled in size.
In a small jug, mix the egg and milk to create a wash. Brush this gently over the ring after it has risen.
Bake at 200°C for 20–25 minutes until the ring is golden brown. If you tap the base and it sounds hollow, it is ready.
Allow the ring to cool completely.
For the icing, mix the icing sugar with the water (or brandy) and vanilla until perfectly smooth and free of lumps.
Drizzle the icing over the cooled ring. When it comes to this part, I always say: don’t be shy!
You can decorate the finished ring with glacé cherries if you wish.
-Melissa