How to decorate the original wedding loaf?

According to the tradition of our ancestors, at the wedding, parents should meet newlyweds in front of the house with a loaf in their hands. Loaf personifies marital happiness, fertility. The richer and more beautiful the loaf - the more happiness the newlyweds will have in family life. Therefore, its decoration attach great importance.

Usually the festive wedding loaf began to bake on Saturday. To prepare it, married married, experienced and happy married women. It was believed that through the hands of such women, happiness and good fortune are transmitted to the family life of the newlyweds. Therefore, childless and divorced women and widows were not allowed into this business. It was believed that in this case the same fate could be repeated among the newlyweds.

Details of the decoration and their value:

• Bunches of viburnum - an essential attribute of any wedding dish. Kalina since ancient times is considered a berry of love and abundance. Therefore, on the cake it is abundant. To prepare such an ornament, you need to roll up large balls and cut them in half. The resulting halves attached to the surface of the cake so that the clusters of viburnum.
• Pigtaillocated on the edge of the loaf, symbolizes the sun. It is intended to illuminate the road to a young family so that their life will be bright and long.
• Ears of wheat mean fertility and prosperity in the family.

• Roses symbolize love. Their presence on the festive cake will perfectly complement the overall decoration and make the product more elegant.
• Leaves mean youth. This is the simplest element of decoration.

When cooking cake, in the center make a groove for salt. It is decorated with different elements. By tradition, the newlyweds should together pinch off the edge of the loaf, dip them in salt and eat them. This will mean that they ate a pound of salt together and in the future they will have a happy life together.

Consider the step by step preparation of each item of decoration. Decorating material is the same dough as for the main cake.

• To prepare the rosette, roll out five circles with a diameter of about five centimeters. We lay them on each other step. Then roll them together into a roll. Get a small layered roll. Cut it in half. Turn over both halves and lay on a flat surface. Bend down the upper edges of each layer. It turned out two beautiful roses.

• To make ears of wheat you have to make three components of the element. It is the ear itself, the stems and branches.

1. To make an ear, we roll a small dough roller out of one centimeter diameter. Flatten one end to make a cone. With small scissors we make cuts all over the surface of the roller to make spines. Then a little pulling our roller, holding his ends. The spikelet of wheat turned out.
2. For the stalk it is necessary to roll out thin twigs of dough. Their thickness will depend on the test, the length is about 30 centimeters.
3. We make branches from thin dough, having previously rolled it out with a rolling pin. Cut it into strips one centimeter wide. At the end of the strips make a cut to get a sharp end.
4. We combine all the elements together. We spread the stalk on the loaf. To the top of the mount spike. Along the edges of the stem fasten the branches on both sides in the direction of a sharp end to the spikelet. Wheat spike ready.

• To prepare the leaves, we make diamonds of different sizes from dough. On the edges of the rhombus, cut out small pieces of dough with a knife. There should be jagged edges. Decoration is ready.
• The integral element of the loaf is pigeons. According to the tradition there should be two of them, since they symbolize peace and love. It may seem that cooking pigeons is an impossible task, but in reality the process is very simple. We make strips of dough about three centimeters long and half a centimeter wide. We tie knots at the ends of the strip. On one of them we make an incision with a knife to make a beak, and on the other several cuts to make a tail. Flatten a little bit of the foundation of our pigeon. Sharp subject draw wings on it. Pinch off feathers with small scissors. Pigeons are ready.

• Often, instead of pigeons loaf decorate swans. Making them is as easy as pigeons. Roll out two dough rolls with a length of 6 centimeters. It is necessary to stretch each of them in such a way that a small ball (head) is formed in the upper part, and an oblong oval (bird's body) at the bottom. With a needle we make eyes and a beak on the head. On the body squeeze the wings and tail.

As such, the principles and rules of decorating a wedding loaf does not exist. But there are some traditions that are trying to comply with the design of the cake. Usually in the center of the loaf make a groove and set the salt shaker. To decorate it festively, they use such elements as roses, ears of wheat.

On the edge of the pie usually lay a pigtail or spread the ears of wheat in the form of a small sheaf. You can also use all kinds of clusters of berries.

The rest of the loaf space is filled with all sorts of elements, which were mentioned above. Recently, often use natural berries, wheat ears and various decorative ornaments. This makes the cake not only festive and beautiful, but also original and unique. However, it should be remembered that everything should be in moderation. Do not get carried away and overdo it with decorations.

How to bake a wedding loaf with your own hands, see the following video.