The 40 daytime of Lent between Ash Wednesday and Easter can feel like an endless penance when observers give up meat , sweetness , swearing , and other treasured vice . But as the Lenten season winds down , about every Easter - celebrating finish attack up the oven to break the humble - solid food tight in the most boodle - fulfil , carb - loaded way possible . What more could you call for for ?
1. HOT CROSS BUNS // UNITED KINGDOM
spicy cross buns are n’t just the subject of a childhood rhyme — they’re spongelike , fruity pastries that have been around for hundred of old age . The blood of the fanny is unsung , withhypothesesranging from the Ancient Romans and Saxons to 14th century Thelonious Sphere Monk . The earliest citation for the namehot cross bunin the Oxford English Dictionary is fromPoor Robin ’s , a1733 almanacthat says " Good Friday comes this Month , the old womanhood range , With one or two a Penny , hot cross Bunns [ sic ] . " The phrase " hot crown of thorns buns " must be older than 1733 because of the indecorum the wording seems to assume the lector will have , but it ’s not clear when exactly these spiced roll — make full with currant or other fruit and topped with transverse - shaped cuts or icing — were first invented , and there ’s some muddiness on when they should be eaten , too .
In 1592 , Queen Elizabeth I ’s Clerk of the Market emerge a decree say that " no baker or other persons shall at any time or times hereafter make , utter , or trade by retail , within or without their houses , unto any of the queen ’s subjects , any spiciness cakes , buns , bisket [ sic ] , or other spiciness lolly … except it be at burials , or upon the Friday before Easter , or at Christmas . " But that did n’t terminate masses from baking them at home — in which case , caught offenders had to hand over theirbaked goods to the poor . Plus , hot cross bun superstitious notion makes these pastry dough extra suitable ; it ’s believe that hang a bun baked on Good Friday from your kitchen roof will protect your home from bad spirits and prevent kitchen fires .
2. MAZUREK // POLAND
When a traditional cup of tea has been around for century , there ’s a sight about it that can change . Polishmazurekcakes are no exception and recipe variety means that no two cakes are the same , down to their infrastructure , which can be made with wafers or dense sponge cake . But , mazureks , also calledmazurkas , are identifiable because of their size : they ’re normally less than an inch in elevation andare intemperately decoratedwith jam , nuts , chocolate , yield , and iced dear designs . While Easter is a common clock time of year to nibble these luxury cakes , mazurekalso appear at Christmas and other religious holidays , where the cakes are served in square chunks . solid food historians are n’t sure whenmazureksfirst come along , but the afters was probably inspired byTurkish kickshaw institute through Polandduring the Renaissance .
3. OSTERLAMM // GERMANY
In Germany , many traditional Easter meals feature edible lamb centerpieces calledosterlamm . These patty or lolly replica lambs arebaked in lamb - shaped mould , thendecorated with icingor small-grained sugar . Osterlamm , which means " Easter lamb , " are also democratic in other European land where they are made from butter , complete with peppercorn eye and realistic fur sculpting .
4. IGUANA SOUP // NICARAGUA
Not all Easter delicacies are deplete on the day of — some are ingest during the 40 days of Lent prior . In Nicaragua , many Lent observers abstain from meatwill make meals of iguana or armadillo rather . Because these fauna are n’t considered meat in the agency cows or poulet are , they satisfy the religious requirements associated with Lent . While iguanas are regularly consume in Nicaragua , there ’s controversy around glean them in the springtime . Iguana breeding season move September to April , and intake is banned during this time of year to protect populations .
5. KITFO // ETHIOPIA
Kirk K via Flickr//CC BY - NC - ND 2.0
Easter in Ethiopia issometimes celebrate several weeks after westerly churchesbecause of calendar differences . And with that celebration number the breaking of the meat and dairy fast . In Ethiopia , many families mow down their own wild ox or goats at home andprepare dishes ofkitfo — raw meat rubbed in herbed butter — couple with collard greens and fresh cheese calledayib . For those not craving the cutting delicacy , a chicken sweat calleddoro watis also democratic .
6. FLAOUNES // CYPRUS
Like many other countries , Cyprus has its own bread - base Easter dish . Flaounes(also calledpilavuna ) arepastries filled with eggs , tall mallow and mintto celebrate the end of Lent . Flaounesoften come in square or triangular shapes , and are served with sides of Olea europaea , cheese and love apple . Flaounesare also baked for Ramadan jubilation .
7. BABKA // UKRAINE AND POLAND
Babkaare sweet breads pop throughout Ukraine , Poland , and other easterly European land . These afters breads are so commonplace at Easter celebrations that they ’re sometimes bless at church events before being share with friends and family . Traditionally , therequirement for ababkawas its size of it — that it must be taller than wide , and , depending on the country either is more narrow-minded at the top than the bottom or is a cylinder throughout — but modernbabkasare oftenbaked in loaf pansor cans after being filled with almond paste , testicle , fruit , or chocolate . As for the name , which means grandma , it ’s not clean ifbabkaget their title from resemble a grandmother ’s skirts or because it ’s a dessert so good that only a nan could make it .
8. HORNAZO // SPAIN
Spain ’s traditional Easter dish has a slightly scandalous backstory . The orotund pith pie ( sometimes shaped as breads)are native to the Salamanca and Avila regionsin central Spain . Hornazoare normally overindulge with pork , boiled egg , and chorizo — food that can not be eaten during the 40 mean solar day of Lent . Hornazoswere traditionally eaten during theLunes de Aguasfestival around the same time as Easter . Prior to the start of Lent , prostitutes in Salamanca would entrust the cityto forfend distracting man from their religious obligation . As Easter arrived , hornazoswould be baked and deal with returning prostitutes to celebrateLunes de Aguasand the goal of Lent .
9. CAPIROTADA // MEXICO
Luna sin estrellas via Flickr//CC BY 2.0
Thecapirotadasof Mexico are bread puddings created from old bread , syrup , nut , and fruit . Sometimes serve with cheese or meat , capirotadasare served on Good Friday . The dish date back to at least the 16th C , and was supposedlybanned by a purple decreein 1540 ( some the great unwashed conceive it was specifically make as a essence - free Lent repast whileothers suggest it was a dishnon - Catholics could consume while secretly following their spiritual beliefs during times of persecution).Capirotadascan betraced back to Spain and ancient Rome , where the meal were much different . rather of a sticky , sweet afters , earlycapirotadaswere more soup - similar and included onions , tomatoes , and other piquant ingredient .
10. MÄMMI // FINLAND
Finland ’s traditionalmämmidish supposedly tastes like Guinness or a deep stout beer , but that ’s potential because of all the rye whisky it use . Mämmihas a thick , porridge - comparable consistence , made from water , rye flour , and rye malt which dulcorate during baking . It ’s then answer stale with pick and sugar . Mämmihas been eat inFinland ’s southwestern realm since the 13th one C , and is usually served on Good Friday when percipient would hold off on cook handsome meals in exchange for simple and cold food for thought .
11. COLOMBA PASQUALE // ITALY
Colomba Pasquale(or " Easter Dove " ) is Italy ’s most popular Easter treat . The bird - mold bread is fulfil with whacky and orange peel and covered in an ice glaze . Like many Easter delicacies , colomba pasqualehas been around for centuries . Two competing legendslay claim to the bread ’s origins , the first date to 572 CE follow a three - year siege of the Italian town of Pavia . When the city was captured , vanquisher King Alboin demanded 12 maidens as protection , but one of the women decided to make a bread in the shape of a dove as a peace symbol . Her baking attainment impressed the world-beater and he set her free and spare the town . The 2d history claimscolomba pasqualecame about following a 1176 victory over the Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa , where two dove appeared on the battleground representing the Holy Ghost .
12. SCOTCH EGGS // UNITED KINGDOM
Lee McCoy via Flickr//CC BY - ND 2.0
Scottish eggs are n’t necessarily an Easter dish despite the obvious testis imaging . These child’s play treats feature a hardboiled egg wrapped in meat , which is then fry , and they have been around since the early 1800s . Whileoriginally served warm with gravy , Scotch eggs are now rust moth-eaten and considered a fast snack for interfering travelers . But for Easter , some egg fans have taken to making their own version with candy and bar . Cadbury Creme eggsare wrapped in patty and cereal before being fried — which warm up the creme gist for a muggy , gooey kickshaw . hone for a sweet tooth ’s Easter basket anywhere in the world .
All figure of speech via iStock unless otherwise noted .
