Easter bread

Many Christian cultures bake a special bread for Easter, marking the end of Lent with eggs, butter, sugar and milk that may have been avoided during the fast. Examples include Greek tsoureki, Russian kulich, Ukrainian paska, Italian colomba and braided Portuguese folar. Breads are often flavored with citrus, vanilla, cardamom or mahlep.

Many are braided into rings or wreaths and decorated with whole dyed eggs baked into the dough, or topped with icing, sprinkles or almonds. The shapes and decorations frequently carry religious meaning, such as the braid or the cross. These breads are usually blessed, shared with family and eaten through the Easter season.