What is the Russian wedding famous for? The splendor of festivities, beautiful outfits, delicious treats and, of course, traditions. It makes no sense to compare modern weddings with traditionally Russian weddings held centuries ago, because the celebration took on a slightly different format. But some traditions have survived in our time.
One of them is baking a wedding loaf. Kind, bright, shrouded in homeliness and warmth of the family hearth, this tradition will live for many more years. In our article we will tell you how to bake a loaf at home and how to present it at a wedding. There are many recipes for such a dish, but even more types of decoration. Here, every housewife has the opportunity to show their imagination and skill.
Wedding loaf is a symbol
The loaf prepared for the wedding symbolizes the sun, giving rise to the birth of a new family. From it, like from bread, it blows homely warmth and tranquility. That is why in Russia at the wedding, in addition to the loaf, there were no cakes or other ceremonial pastry. Only this symbol stood at the head of the festive table.
The form of serving this treat has been preserved from ancient times. Parents of the groom, future father-in-law and mother-in-law pass it on to young people. In this way, they not only accept the daughter-in-law in their family, but also pass on their blessing to the spouses.
Story
Since ancient times, preparing a wedding loaf at home. For baking, we used only flour of wheat grains, since this particular cereal was a symbol of happiness, fertility and wealth.
In order to start preparing the loaf, several mandatory actions were carried out, which were also attributed to the positive impact on the future baking. At first they took wheat flour, but not just like that, but 7 handfuls of 7 bags. And the water was collected from 7 wells. The number 7 in Russia was assigned magical properties, believing that it was "charged" with happiness.
They didn’t start baking until the house was in perfect order. Only in a clean room was it allowed to bake a wedding loaf, since solemn buns were respected.
To prepare a wedding symbol, not all craftsmen or those who wanted could. Since the loaf was intended for a new married couple, only a married woman who was in a happy marriage and had several healthy children should have baked it. In the process of kneading the dough, the woman was supposed to read prayers. Apart from her, nobody had the right to touch the test, although the presence of strangers during the preparation process was not forbidden. But they were not required to promote cooking, but chants and dances to create a festive atmosphere.
The day when the wedding loaf began to bake was considered the beginning of the wedding. From the same test that they made the festive pastry, they baked "bumps", which served as a kind of invitation to the wedding. After their preparation, the bride carried them to those whom she wanted to see at her celebration. To receive refreshments from her meant that the invitee could not fail to appear at the celebration.
When preparing a modern wedding, a loaf is ordered in pastry shops. However, this is not the best option. If there are married women in the family who are capable of baking, then why not entrust the preparation of the main symbol of the wedding to them? It will be a wonderful preservation and fulfillment of traditions.
Type of loaves
What should be the decoration of the wedding loaf? If you adhere to the traditions, it is customary to use the elements of vegetation: leaves, flowers, ears. It is desirable that the plant is present in the room where the loaf is baked. It can be a sprig of viburnum - a symbol of love and fertility.
Loaves are also made, decorated with hearts, swans, unusual patterns. There are wedding loaves - real works of art. Their shape remains the same - a circle, but the jewelry is simply striking in its unusualness. Types of wedding loaves are uniform in form, but vary in their design.
What do jewelry mean?
Do not think that there can be any sign on the solemn bread symbol. Each of them has its own interpretation:
- The pigtail, which is on almost every wedding loaf, means the bride’s willingness to get married. She adorns the edges of festive bread.
- Spikelet of wheat - a symbol of wealth and fertility.
- Swans - the personification of fidelity.
- Pigeons denote the bride and groom.
- A rose is a symbol of the beauty of the bride.
Signs and traditions
Traditions at the wedding loaf are also available:
- The loaf could only be heated by a married woman, who was by no means divorced and not a widow. If she had assistants, the total number of people in the kitchen should not have been even.
- Bake the loaf was taken the day before the wedding, as a rule, it was Saturday.
- Before starting work, the cook had to wash herself, wash her hands thoroughly and put on a pectoral cross.
- As soon as a woman formed a loaf from the dough, only her husband or another married man could put it in the oven.
- As soon as the loaf reached its readiness, it was taken out of the oven and covered with a clean towel. It wasn’t customary to show the pastry to anyone until the solemn moment.
- Wedding loaf is handed to the newlyweds after the official marriage or wedding. The newlyweds are punished by the father-in-law and mother-in-law, pronouncing the words of blessing and parting words. After that, the new spouses should break off or bite off a piece, salt and feed each other. It was believed that anyone with a larger piece of loaf would be the head of the family.
- According to the sign, if during cooking the loaf burned, the future spouse will be grumpy. If it turned out magnificent, then this is a good sign testifying to the rich life of the newlyweds.
- At the wedding, only the bride cuts the loaf, the groom helps her. Cut pieces are handed out to guests.
- Spouses should eat loaf pieces without leaving them.
How the loaf is presented to the newlyweds and guests
From time immemorial it has been established that the groom is presented to the newlyweds by the parents of the groom, always keeping him in-law. Baking is laid on a new wedding towel with special embroidery. His presentation is accompanied by the reading of a prayer, as well as words of blessing and parting words.
The bride and groom try the wedding symbol first (bite off a piece of it). The rest of the loaf is divided into many pieces that the guests carry the guests. Together with ethics, slices of muffin, the newlyweds shared their happiness with the guests.
There is another way to split the loaf. A large piece is broken off from bread and given to the future head of the family, as a rule, to her husband. The middle of the loaf was shared between the guests, the fried base of the loaf was handed out to the musicians and the hosts of the holiday, but the decorations - leaves, flowers - were distributed to unmarried bridesmaids.
Although in some parts of the country to distribute pieces of a symbol of family happiness, guests are not accepted.
Uneaten loaf
What to do with a wedding loaf after the wedding? Of course, in ancient times it was eaten to the last crumbs, because there were no other sweets on the table. But now this symbolic treat sometimes remains the next day.
The easiest way is to share the loaf between the guests. They can dry the pieces and leave them at home as a talisman and talisman. But the newlyweds can’t dry the baking - it will mean that soon the marriage will crack and break up.
Modern non-superstitious people, regardless of tradition, leave the loaf "for tomorrow" and eat it up after the wedding. Moreover, at some weddings it is not even customary to distribute pieces of loaf to guests, everything remains, as they say, in the family.
You can do different things. The main thing is not to throw out the pastries, but try to eat them while it is fresh.
Wedding Loaf Recipe
There are many ways to bake muffin. In principle, anyone will do, just to make it tasty and beautiful. However, some try to adhere strictly to traditions. If for the upcoming wedding it was decided to bake the loaf yourself, it is better to do it according to a proven recipe.
For cooking you will need:
- A kilogram of wheat flour.
- A dozen eggs.
- 6 tablespoons of sugar.
- 20 grams of dry yeast.
- 200 grams of butter.
- 250 ml of milk
- A pinch of salt.
All ingredients stored in the refrigerator (butter, milk and eggs) must first be removed so that they raise their temperature to room temperature. The oil should melt a little.
Cooking:
- Yeast is dissolved in milk.
- The yolks are separated from the proteins. They are mixed until smooth with sugar and sent to milk.
- Flour is sifted through a sieve into a deep bowl. Milk with yolks is sent there. Mixed.
- After that, put all the other ingredients in a bowl and knead the dough thoroughly.
- Cover it with a towel and clean it in a warm place so that it rises and increases in volume.
- After half an hour, knead the dough a little and remove again to insist.
- When it comes up and becomes suitable for baking, it is laid out on the table, a small amount is cut to create jewelry. The main part is placed on a baking sheet covered with parchment, forming a circle.
- From the cut piece create jewelry and place them on the main form. If they do not hold well, then you need to grease the attachment site with a little water.
- The formed wedding loaf is greased with egg yolk and the loaf is sent to the preheated oven (up to 180 ° C) and baked for 60-90 minutes.
- All the time until the baking is baked, the oven should not be opened, otherwise the loaf may not turn out magnificent.
The prepared wedding symbol is taken out and covered with a towel so that it “rests” a little.
Some useful tips
- Only dry yeast is suitable for cooking, since living yeast may not have the “lifting” effect that is needed.
- Figures can be made from shortcrust pastry.
- For decorations, you can add cocoa or food coloring.
- The finished loaf should be wrapped well with towels or even a blanket so that it does not lose its softness and does not dry out.
Conclusion
The wedding loaf recipe presented in this article can be improved somewhat by adding various additives: raisins, candied fruits, a small amount of berries. If a loaf has never been made at home, then for a wedding it is better not to risk it and make an order in a candy store.