Sweet Česnica (Serbian Christmas Bread) Recipe

By
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek
Barbara Rolek is a former chef who became a cooking school instructor and award-winning food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/22/22
Serbian Christmas bread sweet recipe

The Spruce / Katarina Zunic
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 90 mins
Total: 110 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 1 loaf
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
413 Calories
12g Fat
63g Carbs
13g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 413
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 12g 15%
Saturated Fat 6g 32%
Cholesterol 132mg 44%
Sodium 202mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 63g 23%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 7g
Protein 13g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 79mg 6%
Iron 4mg 21%
Potassium 184mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This recipe for Serbian ćesnica, or Christmas bread, has a hint of sweetness. Elaborate versions are topped with ornamental decorations and religious symbols made from a special sculpting dough that contains no yeast and will retain the shape it's formed in when baked. The common tie is the silver coin baked inside. It is believed whoever finds it will have good luck in the coming year.

The word ćesnica is derived from the Serbian word čest, meaning "to share." And that is how the bread is eaten—at a communal table where it is rotated three times counterclockwise before each person tears off a piece. 

Ingredients

For the Bread Dough:

  • 2 cups milk, lukewarm, warmed to 105 F

  • 4 teaspoons active dry yeast

  • 1/4 cup sugar

  • 4 large egg yolks, at room temperature; reserve the whites

  • 4 ounces (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 5 1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

For the Sculpting Dough:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 large egg yolk, room temperature, reserve the white

  • 1 tablespoon milk, or ​as needed

Steps to Make It

Make the Bread Dough

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for bread dough
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer or other large bowl, combine lukewarm milk and yeast until dissolved. Add sugar and let stand 10 minutes.

    Stand mixer
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  3. Add 4 egg yolks, the butter, salt, and 5 1/2 cups of the flour and mix thoroughly. Knead 7 to 10 minutes by machine or 15 minutes by hand until a smooth, stiff dough forms and pulls away from the sides of the bowl and your fingers. If too sticky, add up to 1/2 cup additional flour.

    Add egg yolks, butter
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  4. Place dough in a bowl that has been lightly coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat both sides. Cover and let rise until doubled. If, when the dough is touched lightly in the center, it springs back, it needs to rise more.

    Pan
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  5. Lightly coat a deep round baking pan or the ceramic liner from a small slow cooker with cooking spray.

    Lightly coat pan
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  6. Punch down dough and knead a few minutes to release any air bubbles. Transfer to a prepared pan and tuck a sterilized silver coin in the dough.

    Punch down dough
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  7. Cover and let rise until doubled.

    Dough
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  8. Decorate with the sculpting dough.

    Braid do

Make the Sculpting Dough and Decorate

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. While bread dough is rising, make the sculpting dough. In a small bowl, mix the flour, yolk, and milk to make a pliable dough.

  3. Pinch off pieces of sculpting dough and roll by hand to create the decorations.

  4. Dip the decorations into the reserved egg whites and "glue" them on the risen bread. Typically, the bread is divided into quadrants with a braided rope or flat piece of dough in the shape of a cross. Religious symbols, or shapes denoting the occupation or hobby of members of the household, are placed in the 4 quadrants. A braided rope or flat ribbon of dough around the circumference of the bread is the final touch.

Bake the Bread

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Brush the entire top of the bread lightly, sculptures and all, with egg white.

    Pie
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  2. Bake for 10 minutes, then cover loosely with a foil tent and reduce the heat to 350 F and bake 50 to 60 minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers 190 F.

    Make sculpting dough
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  3. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and let cool completely top side up.

    Cool
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic

  4. The bread takes a place of honor on the Christmas table along with sprouted wheat that was planted on St. Nicholas Day, walnuts, dried fruit, fresh fruit, and a lighted candle.

    Serbian Christmas bread
    The Spruce / Katarina Zunic