Sweet Bread

Italy

Anello di Monaco is a Mantuan sweet traditionally prepared for Christmas. Created in 1798 by a Swiss pastry chef Adolf Putcher, this kugelhupf-inspired sweet yeasted bread made with white flour, yeast, eggs, butter, and sugar was originally enriched with walnuts and raisins, but nowadays versions with hazelnuts, jam, almonds, or chocolate are also popular. Once baked, it is covered in rich, white powdered sugar glaze. This soft delicacy is produced exclusively by the artisan bakers and pastry chefs from the province of Mantua - it is even protected as a traditional agricultural product of the region.

Anello di Monaco

Often regarded as Wales' national fruitcake, bara brith (lit. speckled bread) is made by soaking dried fruit in strong black tea overnight and then folding it into a mixture of flour, brown sugar, eggs, marmalade, cinnamon, and mixed spices the following day. This traditional tea bread loaf is typically enjoyed fresh from the oven, but it can also be toasted and spread with Welsh salted butter. It is widely available in shops, bakeries, and tearooms all over Wales.

Bara Brith

Barmbrack is a sweet bread from Ireland made from yeasted dough and either raisins or sultanas, which Irish also often call bair&iacute;n breac (lit. speckled loaf). Although simple, barmbrack is a large part of the Halloween tradition in Ireland. Various objects, namely a pea, a stick, a coin, a piece of cloth, and a ring, all of which have a special meaning, would be baked into the bread that is then used in fortune-telling; each person that receives a slice with any of these objects would know their fortune for the following year. The bread is commonly sold in flattened rounds and consumed with a cup of tea as a sweet afternoon snack.

Barmbrack

Biscotto di Sant'Anselmo is a sweet, naturally leavened, round-shaped bread from Bomarzo made in honor of Saint Anselmo, the patron saint of the city. The legend says that Anselmo, who was the bishop of the city, used to make this bread to feed the poor and the pilgrims. Made with eggs, sugar, oil, yeast, anise seeds, grated lemon zest, salt, milk, and local liqueurs Alchermes and Mistr&agrave;, it is traditionally enjoyed soaked in zozza, a mixture of liquor, oil, wine, sugar, lemon, and anise.

Biscotto di Sant'Anselmo

Biscotto di Sant'Antonio is a leavened, braided sweet bread with a very long tradition - in Tuscia it is traditionally prepared every January 17th in honor of Saint Anthony, the protector of men and animals. The shape of the braid is connected to the symbolism of the node as a sign of fidelity and bond with the Saint. Made with flour, sugar, eggs, anise, milk, extra virgin olive oil, yeast, white wine, and grated lemon zest, biscotto di Sant'Antonio has a distinctive flavor, mainly due to the presence of anise, and pairs nicely with white wine.

Biscotto di Sant'Antonio

United Kingdom

Bonnag is a traditional bread originating from the Isle of Man. It comes plain or sweet, with added dried fruit such as raisins, candied lemon peel, and currants, along with mixed spices. The basic, plain variety is made with a combination of flour, fat, salt, soda bicarbonate, and cream of tartar. The soda is dissolved in sour milk and it's then mixed with the other ingredients. The dough is baked in the oven at moderate heat until golden brown. The fruit version also incorporates dried fruit, margarine, vanilla essence, and buttermilk. It is believed that bonnag has been around for hundreds of years. On the Isle of Man, there is also an annual competition for the world's best bonnag maker.

Bonnag

United States

Boston brown bread is a dark, sweet bread that is traditionally steamed in a can. It can be made with different types of flour such as graham, whole wheat, rye, or cornmeal. Many bakers like to add maple syrup, raisins, or molasses in order to improve its flavors. The bread is traditionally prepared during fall and winter, when it is usually accompanied by baked beans on the side.

Boston Brown Bread

Australia

A Boston bun is a big, spiced bun that is commonly consumed throughout Australia and New Zealand. The traditional version is characterized by a thick layer of coconut icing on the exterior, while the interior contains mashed potatoes. The modern version can sometimes contain raisins, and is usually served sliced as an accompaniment to tea. Boston bun is commonly known as Sally Lunn in New Zealand, and it is believed that the original recipe came from Boston during the gold rush years in the 1850s. However, the inventor of the dish and the origins of its name remain a mystery up to this day.

Boston Bun

Germany

This rich sweet bread is made with a heavy yeast dough mixed with candied fruit and nuts. It is one of the many traditional specialties of Bremen's cuisine. The recipe for Klaben dates back to the 16th century, when bakers in Hanseatic League cities gained access to exotic ingredients they were able to obtain through their member cities. The sweet bread is filled with raisins, almonds, various nuts, and orange and lemon peel. It is not sugar-dusted after baking, as opposed to Dresdner Stollen. The distinctive taste of this holiday favorite comes from the addition of cardamom, rum, or nutmeg. Klaben is usually baked at the beginning of December, and it can stay fresh until Easter.

Bremer Klaben

France

This classic brioche variety is prepared with a yeast-risen dough that is enriched with butter and eggs. The dough is divided into eight individual portions that are neatly arranged in a loaf pan and left to rise. During baking, the pieces partially merge, while they remain clearly visible on top. Nanterre brioche should always have a crispy golden crust, and a soft, buttery interior. It is recommended to serve it with butter and jam on the side.

Brioche de Nanterre

This traditional French brioche was invented in 1880 by a pastry chef Pierre Labully at his family-owned p&acirc;tisserie in Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers. It consists of a leavened brioche base that is enriched with crushed pink pralines&mdash;sugar-coated nuts that are traditionally associated with Lyon. Brioche Saint Genix is usually formed in a large round loaf, while the top is decorated with whole pralines and pearl sugar.

Brioche Saint Genix

Hailing from Lorraine, this sweet bread is prepared with a classic, buttery brioche dough. As the name suggests, since tress&eacute;e means braided, the dough is typically shaped in a large, twisted braid, while the origin of the brioche is closely associated with the city of Metz. However, it is found throughout the Lorraine region and is typically enjoyed on special occasions, when it's usually served well-chilled at the beginning of the meal.

Brioche tressée de Metz

Brioche Vend&eacute;enne is a French braided brioche. The braids on its top are called barres in French. It is golden-colored and available in various shapes - round, oval, or in the shape of a stick. The brioche can never be sold frozen - only fresh, either whole or sliced into smaller pieces. The dough is rich in eggs and sugar, with a fragrant aroma of alcohol, vanilla, orange, and butter when baked. On the interior, the brioche is yellow and has a light, airy, and stringy texture with melt-in-the-mouth qualities. It's made in the Vend&eacute;e region in France and is especially popular at Eastertime and at weddings, when it is made in gigantic proportions, weighing between 10 and 20 kilos! Try brioche Vend&eacute;enne on its own or pair it with a nice fruit jam and a cup of tea.

Brioche Vendéenne

Croatia

Bucolaj is a traditional Istrian sweet bread that is typically prepared during the Easter festivities. It is made with a combination of flour, egg yolks, milk, lard, yeast, sugar, and lemon zest. Once prepared, the dough should be left to rise, and it is then cut into strips that are shaped into a circle with a hole in the middle. The dough is baked, and bucolaj is then shortly dunked into a combination of heated milk and vanilla sugar in order to make a thin protective film on its surface. The sweet bread is usually sprinkled with powdered or granulated sugar, and it is traditionally consumed by dunking it into milk or wine, whether white or red.

Bucolaj

Certosino is a traditional sweet bread originating from Bologna. The sweet bread contains almonds, pine nuts, cocoa powder, dark chocolate, honey, and candied fruit. It's traditionally prepared for the Christmas festivities. In local dialect, the sweet bread is also known as zrtus&eacute;in, while many people call it panspezial, which refers to medieval times when certosino was prepared by apothecaries (speziali). The rich and dense certosino is made without yeast, so it needs a long storing time before it's eaten. Although the sweet bread nowadays contains chocolate and cocoa powder, the original didn't contain any of those ingredients.

Certosino

Usually shaped into a braided loaf, chałka is a soft, sweet Polish bread prepared with a rich yeasted dough. It can occasionally incorporate raisins or other dried fruits and is traditionally sprinkled with sesame or poppy seeds and sliced almonds. Chałka is derived from the popular Jewish challah bread, but Poles traditionally associate it with Christmas or Easter holidays. Served sliced, it can be enjoyed plain or accompanied with butter and various fruit preserves.

Chałka

Choereg is a type of sweet bread from Armenia that is traditionally prepared for Easter. The buttery, egg-enriched dough is flavored with mahleb, a type of spice made from cherry pit seeds, which gives it a unique flavor and the scent of cherries and bitter almonds. Once braided, the bread is either sprinkled with sesame seeds or glazed with egg wash.

Choereg

Christopsomo, meaning "Christ's Bread" in Greek, is a traditional bread made in Greece for Christmas, embodying religious significance in the Greek Orthodox tradition. Made with flour, yeast, sugar, and nuts and flavored with spices like anise and mahleb, it often includes olive oil and sometimes wine. This bread is richly decorated with Christian symbols, such as crosses and dough shapes representing family members or aspects of their lives. The top is also often sprinkled with sesame seeds and/or adorned with nuts and even raisins. Prepared typically by the woman of the household on Christmas Eve, Christopsomo is served on Christmas Day, often blessed at church or at home. While the core elements of Christopsomo are consistent, regional variations in Greece reflect local traditions and family customs, making it a unique and symbolic part of the Greek Christmas celebration.

Christopsomo

Coco bread is a popular Jamaican bread made with flour, sugar, salt, yeast, butter, and coconut milk. The bread is baked until it is golden-brown and develops a slightly sweet flavor due to the usage of coconut milk. It is usually split and filled with a Jamaican patty (a golden yellow pastry filled with meat, cheese, and vegetables) in order to make a unique Caribbean take on a sandwich.

Coco Bread

Colston bun is a traditional sweet bread originating from Bristol. It's made with a combination of flour, butter, sugar, milk, grated orange rind, dried fruit, yeast, and spices such as cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Once risen, shaped, proved, and marked, the dough is baked until golden brown, and the buns are then glazed with sugar syrup while still warm. The Colston bun is a popular teabread in Bristol, and it's believed that it was named after Edward Colston, a merchant who traded with the West Indies.