Miniature Christmas Brioche

Polymer clay miniatures are one of my favorite crafts. My latest is the Miniature Magnetic Breakfast. Since it's almost Christmas I made this tiny Christmas Brioche or Vánočka in the Czech language. It's a popular sweet Christmas pastry. If you'd like to make a real on, here's the recipe. And now let's make the miniature!

Polymer clay such as Cernit or Fimo (I use Cernit) in the following colors:

• very light beige
• black
• brown
• white
• metallic grey

Knife

Dough roller

Silicone mat

Latex gloves

Baking paper

Round Brushes in small sizes

Acrylic paint - I used the following:

• opaque white
• burnt sienna

Wear gloves to prevent leaving fingerprints in the clay.

1. Start with the light beige polymer clay. Roll it out and divide into 8 equal sections.
2. Roll out 5 of them to the same length and 3 shorter.
3. Cut open about 0.5 inch at the end of the shorter pieces. Take tiny pieces of black clay and insert them into the indentations you made. Roll these 3 pieces to the same length like the rest.
4. Connect all the pieces at one end, the ends with the black pieces should be free. Divide them into 4 on the left and 4 on the right.
5. - 11. Follow the photos 5 to 11 and keep braiding until the braid is complete.

12.Press the ends together on both sides of the braid, cut off the excess and make the ends round.

13.Cut the corner of the braid and one more slice. The black pieces will be the raisins in the brioche.

1. Knead brown clay with a little white until you have a mixture resembling wood like on the picture. Roll it out quite thin.
2. Cut out a rectangle long enough for the braid. You can round the corners. Smoothen the edges by pressing the blunt side of the knife lightly onto them.
3. For the knife, roll out some metallic grey and roll it out.
4. Cut out the shape of the blade.
5. Roll out some brown, mine is less than 1 inch long and about 1/4 inch thick.
6. Make a small indentation at one end.
7. Insert the blade and press together.

Place the braid, the slices and the knife on the cutting board.

Bake according to the instructions for the particular brand of polymer clay. For my Cernit it would be 30 minutes on 130°C/266°F. Let it cool down.

1. You can paint the brioche any color you like, I find the burnt sienna ideal, it looks just the the dough smeared with egg and baked. Paint also the slice and the corner.
2. Once it's dry, take a dry small brush and just very lightly dip it in some white paint, don't add any water. And then very carefully, tap the upper side of the brioche to create the effect of powder sugar.

That's it, you're done! Now you can use the miniature Vánočka for your dollhouse or any other way you want. Remember, this is not a toy for small children.