Easter is my favorite time of year. As a woman raised with Transylvanian traditions and now raising my family in the UK, this holiday feels like stitching together the best of both worlds. My childhood memories are full of rustic village customs, sweet breads baking in wood-fired ovens, and colorful eggs lovingly painted at our kitchen table. Today, I share those stories with my children while adding British touches—like an egg hunt in the garden and Eco-friendly crafts.
In this blog, I’ll show you how I mix Hungarian and Romanian Easter traditions with modern, sustainable ideas and a sprinkle of British fun. Plus, I’ll share my family’s classic recipes for smoked ham, Easter cake, and stuffed lamb to make your Easter feast unforgettable.
A Transylvanian Easter: Folklore and Faith
In my hometown in Transylvania, Easter blends Hungarian and Romanian Christian rituals. From the red-dyed eggs to midnight church services, the weekend is steeped in faith and festivity.
On Easter Sunday, we gathered at church with family. Easter morning was a feast: red eggs, sweet Easter cake, and the comforting aroma of smoked ham.
Now, living in the UK, I honor these traditions while embracing the joys of a British Easter—think egg hunts, hot cross buns, and daffodils blooming everywhere.
British Easter Traditions – Springtime Fun
While my Transylvanian roots taught me about candlelit services and Easter sprinkling (the Hungarian sprinkling custom), my British neighbors introduced me to Easter egg hunts and chocolate eggs, which my boys absolutely love.
Every year, we set up a garden egg hunt, complete with biodegradable fillable eggs and fairytrade chocolates inside. We also bake hot cross buns, another British Easter classic, with their fragrant spices and symbolic cross on top.
Hungarian Sprinkling – A Touch of Home
In Hungary, Easter sprinkling happens on Easter Monday, where boys sprinkle girls with water or perfume, wishing them beauty and health. In my Transylvanian village, boys would roam house to house, earning painted eggs or sweet treats.
While we don’t go knocking on doors here in the UK, we do a playful version at home. My boys “sprinkle” me with lavender water and in return, I give them a small Eco-friendly chocolate treat.
Eco-Friendly Egg Painting – A Timeless Craft
Egg painting was sacred in our household. As a child, I would sit beside my grandmother, dipping eggs in pots of natural dyes, watching the colors come to life.
These days, we still paint eggs, but with a modern Eco-conscious twist. Instead of store-bought dyes, I use ingredients from my pantry and garden.
Natural Dye Ingredients:
- Red cabbage – shades of blue
- Beetroot – pink to deep red
- Onion skins – golden brown
- Spinach leaves – soft green
- Turmeric – vibrant yellow
You’ll need:
- Organic white vinegar
- Natural beeswax candles for wax-resist folk patterns
- Reusable cheesecloth or old tights to create leaf prints on eggs
Method:
Simmer your chosen natural ingredient with vinegar and water, then soak hard-boiled eggs until you achieve the color you like. My boys love wrapping tiny leaves on the eggs to create natural prints—it’s a perfect afternoon craft.
Our Transylvanian Easter Feast – The Recipes
No Easter table in my home would be complete without these family recipes, passed down through generations.
1. Smoked Ham with Horseradish
Ingredients:
- 1.5 – 2 kg smoked ham (organic option here)
- 1 onion
- 3 bay leaves
- Peppercorns
- Horseradish (organic jarred version)
- Hard-boiled eggs
Instructions:
Simmer the ham with onion, bay leaves, and peppercorns for 2-3 hours until tender. Serve with grated horseradish and Eco-dyed eggs.
2. Sweet Easter cake
🍽️ This dough makes 4 small bejglis.
2 walnut-filled and 2 poppy seed-filled were made.
🥐 DOUGH 🥐
- 600 g all-purpose flour
- 200 ml cold milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 180 g butter
- 60 g pork lard
- 50 g powdered sugar
- 15 g fresh yeast
- 1 pinch of salt
❄️ SUGAR SYRUP
- 300 g sugar
- 200 ml water
🤎 WALNUT FILLING
- 350 g ground walnuts
- 50 g ground plain biscuits
- Zest of 1 organic orange
- A little cinnamon
- Syrup for scalding (a little more than one-third of the syrup)
🖤 POPPY SEED FILLING
- 280 g ground poppy seeds
- 50 g ground plain biscuits
- Zest of 1 organic lemon
- A little ground clove/cinnamon
- Syrup for scalding
🥚 For brushing:
- 4 egg yolks, 2 egg whites
📌 IMPORTANT STEPS:
- Mix the milk with the egg yolks and yeast.
- Crumble the flour with the sifted powdered sugar, lard, butter, and salt.
- Add the liquid, knead into a smooth dough. Weigh it, divide into 4 parts, wrap in cling film and refrigerate for 1-2 hours. ⏰
- Prepare the scalded fillings and cool them completely.
- Roll out the dough to about 20×28 cm, spread the filling, fold the two shorter edges slightly, and roll it up.
- Place on a baking tray, brush with egg yolk, and let it dry in a cool place (fridge, balcony, etc).
- Bring it to room temperature, brush with egg white, and let the egg white dry again in a cool place. Can stay overnight in the cold, and bake in the morning.
PRICK IT WITH A KNIFE 🔪
🔥 BAKE at 180°C 🔥
Top and bottom heat, for 35-40 minutes!
If the top gets too brown, slightly reduce the temperature.
3. Traditional Stuffed Lamb
In Romania and parts of Transylvania, stuffed lamb is an Easter showstopper, symbolizing purity and sacrifice.
Ingredients:
- 1 leg of lamb (about 2 kg)
- 150 g liver (lamb or chicken)
- 3 boiled eggs (chopped)
- 1 raw egg
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bunch fresh parsley
- 1 bunch dill
- Salt, pepper, paprika
- 3 slices of bread (soaked in milk)
- Olive oil
Instructions:
- Sauté onion, garlic, and chopped liver in olive oil. Add herbs, spices, soaked bread, boiled eggs, and the raw egg to bind the filling.
- Butterfly the lamb leg, season, and stuff with the mixture. Tie it with kitchen twine.
- Roast at 180°C (350°F) for about 1.5-2 hours, basting occasionally.
Serve with Bejgli , pickled vegetables, and horseradish for a full Transylvanian feast.
Easter in the UK – A New Chapter
While my roots are firmly planted in Transylvanian soil, living in the UK has added new chapters to my Easter story. Now, my children enjoy both worlds: crafting leaf-printed eggs one day, and racing around the garden on an egg hunt the next.
A Sustainable Message
By choosing natural dyes and home-cooked meals, we’re not only preserving old-world traditions but protecting the earth for future generations. My small kitchen may be far from the hills of Transylvania, but with the scent of sweet bread in the oven and laughter around the table, home feels just a heartbeat away.
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Your Turn to Create Easter Magic!
I’d love for you to bring a little piece of Transylvania, Hungary, Romania, and the UK to your Easter table this year. Whether you’re dyeing eggs with red cabbage, sprinkling your loved ones with lavender water, or baking a traditional Bejgli, every little tradition tells a story—and creates memories that last a lifetime.
Here’s how you can get involved:
- Try one of the Eco-friendly egg dyeing methods and tag me in your photos!
- Bring these family recipes to your Easter feast and share how they turned out.
- Mix in some British Easter fun like an egg hunt or baking hot cross buns with your kids!
Let’s celebrate sustainably and joyfully, keeping old-world charm alive while caring for the earth.
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