Easter Baking

I have spent the past week preparing for Easter Morning Children's Church. We had an egg hunt today, read the Easter Story (about Jesus not the Easter Bunny, of course) from a sweet children's book, decorated bags for the eggs, watched the Veggie Tale Easter Carol, etc. Last week I baked cross sugar cookies and then put each cookie in a clear plastic bag and tied them with a white ribbon and gave them to the children this morning. It was fun.

The other baking I did for Easter was bake Easter Bread. I found this recipe via Foodgawker and I am so glad I tried it. It will now become a family tradition for us! I wondered why it is called "Easter" bread, other than the fact that there is a dyed egg in the middle of it. Easter Bread is an Italian and Greek tradition because Bread means Life. Which we know because of the Bible and it's many references to bread and life. I read that there is an old peasant proverb "He who has bread has life" interesting since Jesus said the same thing when he was referring to Himself as the Bread of Life (John 6:48). Imagine what that phrase means to a peasant, how deeply they who have little long for the necessities of life.
I decided that the egg can represent the New Life Jesus offers us - Eternal life with Him! And the Easter bread is sweet - because love is sweet. Maybe that is getting too cheesy for you, but I love the symbolism.
So I made the bread, with Baby K on my hip as I scooped out flour and other ingredients. She likes to "cook" with me. I enjoyed waiting for the dough to rise, growth takes patience. Then you have to punch the dough down, sometimes life bumps you around & can knock you down. Then you separate the dough into 12 small balls (Hey, Jesus had 12 disciples!). Next you roll the balls out into long ropes. Twist two ropes together and bring ends together to make round "nests." Place on a baking sheet and let rise. So you wait, and wait and after being patient again they double in size - again growth and more beautiful than before. Now, brush them with egg wash, sprinkle with brightly colored sprinkles, and nestle an Easter egg in the middle (no need to boil the egg before dying it, the egg will cook w/ the bread!). Bake in the oven for a bit and you will have beautiful Easter Bread. And the best part, aside from eating it....the aroma!!! Our house smelled of the wonderful sweet bread for hours! The bread was finished by 1pm and after returning home from a birthday party at 8pm our home still smelled amazing!
Huh...the aroma of Christ, I hope our family is the aroma of Christ to others. See, more symbolism!

Anyway, I hope to some how type this up more concise and purposeful, like in an activity format, with Bible verses for the different symbols, for our family to pull out and do together each year.

We wrapped each bread up in clear cellophane and tied with ribbon and gave them to neighbors and friends the day before Easter. Next year I would love to attach a card with the verse "I am the Bread of Life." John 6:48 and invite them to Easter Sunday Church with us. What a great way to be reminded of the real reason we celebrate Easter.