Everything you need to know about Easter lamb
When we speak of a Paschal lamb, there is no question at all of a baby sheep who would be called Pascal. "Pascal" is simply the adjective which means "Easter". The origin of the first name has the same explanation. Traditionally, the Paschal lamb is eaten at Easter, a holiday of Christian and Jewish origin, the date of which depends on the Moon, and can therefore fall between the end of March and the end of April.
You may be wondering why a lamb? It is that this animal has a strong symbolic significance in Christian and Jewish thought. Indeed, it represents the virtues of innocence, gentleness and kindness that characterized Jesus, who was sacrificed to redeem the sins of men. The lamb is also the sacrificial animal par excellence in the Jewish tradition. That’s why we eat lamb at Easter, the date of Christ’s death and resurrection. If it is indeed a piece of meat for the main course, for dessert it is a cake which has only lamb shape and offers a delicate taste of vanilla, almond and other dried fruits .
How to prepare a paschal lamb?
The recipe for Paschal lamb is relatively simple. The cookie dough is indeed a sponge cake which owes its softness to the egg whites whipped in snow. It is then flavored with vanilla or lemon zest. The cake should bake approximately 45 minutes at 160 ° C in a mold in the shape of a lamb of course, then be sprinkled with icing sugar to imitate the white fleece of the animal.
Once this base has been acquired, you can integrate all kinds of variations in order to prepare a Paschal lamb that perfectly matches your tastes. You can for example add:
Are you celebrating Easter with your family and planning to be many? Discover original Easter cake recipes to seduce young and old at the end of the meal! Because it is not only the lamb that deserves to be included in the list of Easter desserts: by focusing on a themed decoration, cupcakes and brioches are also welcome.
⋙ See also: 4 mini chocolate recipes for Easter
The traditional recipe of the Paschal lamb from Alsace
The traditional recipe for Paschal lamb comes from Alsace. It is the simplest of the recipes, and is done in just 15 minutes. Children can easily get their hands dirty! Start by gathering:
- 100g of flour
- 2 eggs
- 100 g sugar
- 1 C. vs. vanilla flavor
- Icing sugar
After starting the preheating of the 180 ° C, mix the egg yolks with the sugar and the vanilla flavor, beating vigorously. In another bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff. Gently add them to the egg-sugar mixture, using a Maryse. Pour the batter into your lamb-shaped baking dish, and bake for about 25 minutes. Finish by sprinkling with icing sugar.
Which mold should you choose to prepare a Paschal lamb?
Naturally, it is imperative that your cake pan looks like a lamb. That’s all that matters. For a particularly aesthetic result, you can opt for a 3D mold, which makes it possible to obtain a whole lamb in relief. This is the type of mold that is traditionally used. Then, you are free to choose it in silicone to facilitate demolding, or in metal to avoid plastics.
⋙ See also: should you butter a silicone mold?
What do we eat for Easter?
Easter being a spring festival, we can start our paschal menu with an appetizer highlighting seasonal vegetables: green salad, asparagus, velvety peas … Easter pâté is a mixture of several meats with spinach and eggs. The main dish will put the lamb in the spotlight: candied mouse, leg or tajine, many recipes can vary the pleasures. To stay in the tradition, the dessert can also be a brioche or, of course, eggs or a chocolate cake.
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