Easter Jidáše with Honey and Lemon Zest
·Mixing the ingredients
Sift the plain flour into a bowl and add warm milk, sugar, dried yeast, salt and vanilla sugar.
Kneading the dough
Grate the lemon zest. Add the melted (not hot!) butter, the egg yolk and half of the egg (save the rest for brushing). Knead until the dough is smooth and elastic and starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
Rising
Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and leave in a warm spot. Let it rest for about an hour, until it has doubled in size.
Shaping the spirals
Divide the risen dough into equal pieces. Roll them into spiral shapes (knots), symbolising Judas's rope. Place them on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, leaving enough space between them as they'll grow further while baking.
Second rise and baking
Let the jidáše proof on the tray for another 15 minutes, then brush them with the remaining egg. Bake in an oven preheated to 180 °C for about 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. Baking with steam (a bowl of water in the oven) will help make them even fluffier.
Traditional honey glaze
In a small saucepan or in the microwave, briefly warm the honey with water until combined into a runny syrup. As soon as the jidáše come out of the oven, while still hot, brush them generously with this mixture. The hot dough soaks up some of the honey, creating that iconic sticky, glossy crust.