Cuzzupa Calabrese
A traditional Calabrian Easter sweet bread scented with citrus and aniseed, shaped into a festive wreath and baked with whole shell-on eggs nestled into the dough.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 65 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 390 kcal
Equipment
- •Baking sheet
- •Baking parchment
- •Mixing bowls
- •Pastry brush
- •Wire cooling rack
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- fat
- 14 g
- carbs
- 58 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 9 g
- calories
- 390 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Sift the flour and baking powder together into a large mixing bowl.
- 2
Whisk the three dough eggs, sugar, olive oil, milk, lemon zest, and aniseed liqueur in another bowl until smooth.
- 3
Pour the wet mixture into the flour and stir until a cohesive dough forms.
- 4
Tip onto a lightly floured board and knead briefly for two minutes until smooth and supple.
- 5
Divide the dough into three equal ropes, keeping aside a small walnut-sized piece for cross strips.
- 6
Plait the three ropes together on a lined baking sheet, bringing the ends together to form a ring.
- 7
Gently press the three raw decorative eggs into the braid at equal intervals.
- 8
Roll the reserved small piece of dough into six thin strips.
- 9
Criss-cross two thin strips over each egg, pressing the ends firmly into the braid to secure them.
- 10
Brush the entire dough surface with the beaten egg yolk glaze.
- 11
Scatter the coloured sugar sprinkles generously over the glazed bread dough.
- 12
Bake at 180C for 30 to 35 minutes until deep golden brown and fragrant, then cool on a wire rack.
Chef's tips
Do not hard-boil the decorative eggs beforehand as they cook perfectly in the oven. Ensure the decorative eggs are thoroughly washed and at room temperature so the shells do not crack during baking.
Ingredient substitutions
- aniseed liqueur → vanilla extract or fresh orange juice
- extra virgin olive oil → melted unsalted butter or traditional rendered lard
Storage
Store wrapped in a clean tea towel or in an airtight cake tin at room temperature for up to four days.
Reheating
Enjoy at room temperature, or warm single slices in an oven preheated to 150C for five minutes.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Pre-boiling the decorative eggs, which makes them rubbery and grey after baking.
- •Overworking the dough, which results in a tough crumb rather than a tender, biscuit-like texture.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Cuzzupa Calabrese?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from Calabria
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
