Ukrainian Easter Eggs

Ukrainian Traditional Pysanky Easter Eggs

It’s not quite time for Ukrainian Easter celebrations, as many Ukrainians follow the Eastern Orthodox Church which celebrates Easter on 24th of April. However, we in the UK and many other counties will be celebrating Easter this weekend and with myself being a mishmash of cultures, why have one Easter when you can have two!

Ukrainian Easter eggs are known as pysanky. This comes from the word pysaty, which means “to write,” as the designs are written onto the eggshells traditionally with beeswax.

Generally, pysanky are decorated with geometric motifs. Other popular motifs are flowers, crosses, animals, stars, leaves and birds. The colours of the pysanky symbolise many different things:-

Red – the sun, life, joy

Yellow – wealth and fertility

Green – spring and plant life.

Cheats way to make Ukrainian Easter Eggs

Creating proper Ukrainian Easter eggs is time consuming, requiring a lot of skill and accessories that we don’t have a home. So below is a cheats version!

What you need

Eggs
Food colouring
Glass bowls
Sticks
Pan and water for boiling

What to do

If you want to keep your eggs for a while, then you will need to blow them. Otherwise hard boiled eggs will do.

How to blow eggs

Prick your egg at the top and bottom with a needle and blow the contents out into a bowl.

Dyeing the eggs with food colouring

In a jar or bowl, mix a teaspoon of food colouring, a tablespoon of vinegar and enough warm water to cover the egg. Let the egg sit in the dye until the colour is the strength you would like.

Pattern ideas for dyed eggs

Wrap several rubber bands around the egg, and submerge in food dye. Once the egg has dyed to the colour you want remove the egg from the dye carefully and leave the egg to dry in an egg cup. Remove the bands once the egg is completely dry

Use crayons to draw designs onto eggs in wax before dyeing.

Glue on leaves and flowers and peel off to create a shape once the egg is dry.

Dab wet dyed eggs with a sponge or kitchen towel for ripple effect.

Use felt tip pens to draw directly onto the eggs.

Emma

Emma

Hello!

I am Emma and with my husband Mark write Foodie Explorers, which is a food and travel website.

I am a member of the Guild of Food Writers and British Guild of Travel Writers.

We have a wide range of judging experience covering products, hotels and have judged, for example, for Great Taste Awards and Scottish Baker of the Year.

Along the way Mark gained WSET Level 2 in Wine and I have WSET Level 2 in Spirits as well as picking up an award with The Scotsman Food and Drink Awards.    

Usually I can be found sleeping beside a cat.

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