Easter Bread
Easter Bread with a colorful egg in the middle! Look at how cute these bread rings are! They are EASY to make!
Servings: 4 pieces
Equipment
- Stand mixer (with a dough hook attachment)
- Microwave safe bowl
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups/spoons
- Silpat mat (or very lightly floured surface)
- Plastic wrap
- Basting brush
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup butter
- 4 cups all-purpose flour divided (2 cups and 2 cups)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 2¼ teaspoons rapid rise instant yeast (1 package)
- zest of 1 lemon
- zest of 1 orange
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon milk
Decorations
- dyed Easter eggs (uncooked - NOT hardboiled)
- colorful sprinkles
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine two cups of flour with the sugar, yeast, salt if using, and lemon and orange zest. Mix together with a spoon and set aside.
- Place butter and milk in a microwave-safe bowl or measuring cup. Warm the milk and butter mixture in the microwave while stirring. Heat it for 1 minute, then stir, and continue heating it in 10 second-intervals until warm (not boiling hot).
- Add the eggs, vanilla, and warmed milk mixture to the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients. Use the dough hook of a stand mixer to mix the ingredients (about a minute). The mixture should be like the consistency of a cake batter.
- Slowly add the remaining flour to the mixer and continue mixing with the dough hook until it is smooth. The dough should not stick to the bottom of the bowl, if this is happening add a tablespoon of flour and continue mixing. Continue kneading with the dough hook for about 8 minutes.
- Place dough on a lightly floured surface or a silpat mat and knead by hand a few times to bring it together into a ball. Try to use as little flour as possible to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Place the dough into a clean bowl and cover with plastic wrap for 15 minutes to rest.
- Remove the dough from the bowl and punch down the dough to remove any air. Divide into 8 equal pieces. Roll the dough into ropes about 11″ long.
- Pinch two ropes together at the top and then braid the two pieces together. Form the braid into a ring and pinch the ends together.
- Place the braided rings on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap.
- Let the dough rings rise in a warm place for about thirty minutes to an hour or until the ring doubles in size.
- Preheat oven to 375℉ while the dough is rising.
- Make an egg wash by combining a large egg and milk into a small bowl. Use a fork to beat the egg and milk together.
- Once the dough has finished rising, use a pastry brush to brush the surface of the dough with an egg wash.
- Nestle an uncooked decorated easter egg into the middle of the ring, and add colorful sprinkles. After baking the Easter egg will be equivalently cooked to a soft-boiled egg.
- Bake for 20 minutes rotating the baking sheet halfway through to achieve even baking. Let the bread cool on a cooling rack. Easter Bread is best served warm!
Notes
Storage:
Once fully cooled, you can store it at room temperature in an airtight container for three days, or in the fridge for 5 days. If storing at room temperature I would remove the eggs and store them in the fridge. The bread can also be stored in a zip-top bag in the freezer for up to three months, but the eggs need to be removed before putting them in the freezer.
What if I don’t want a real egg nestled into the bread?
You could bake the bread with a plain white/brown egg in the middle and remove it after baking and cooling. You could then fill the hole with a chocolate easter egg, or some chocolate mini eggs. I think kids would really approve of that.