Description
italian easter bread
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/4 teaspoons dry instant yeast
- pinch of salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup (110 grams) caster (white) sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (310 ml) milk
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) butter
- 3 1/2 cups (525 grams) plain white flour PLUS extra to form dough (if needed)
- 6 hard boiled eggs
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 10 drops food colouring
- egg wash – 1 egg and 1 teaspoon water mixed to combine
- sprinkles
Instructions
- Place yeast, salt, eggs and sugar into the large bowl of your mixer and mix to combine using the dough hook.
- Place the milk and butter into a small saucepan over low-medium heat and warm until the butter has melted. Place saucepan on kitchen bench or wooden board and allow to cool until luke warm.
- Add the luke warm melted butter/milk mixture to the yeast mixture. Add half of the flour and turn your mixer on to medium speed. Beat until smooth.
- Slowly add the remaining flour to form a stiff dough. You may need to add more flour than I did. Don’t worry – just continue to add flour until the dough is not sticky anymore.
- Knead for 10 minutes or until the dough is smooth.
- Place the dough into a greased bowl, cover with a clean tea towel and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled. About an hour.
- Meanwhile colour your hard boiled eggs. Place 1/2 cup of boiling water, vinegar and food colouring into a small bowl. Stir to combine. Use a slotted spoon to place eggs into bowl and move the eggs around until your desired colour is achieved. Use the slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the dye and place onto a plate to dry.
- Once your dough has doubled. Remove it from the bowl and place onto a lightly floured wooden board. Punch it down and shape into a long rectangle approx. 40 centimetres long. Cut the dough into 12 pieces. Roll each piece to form a 30 centimetre long shape. Lay 2 pieces side by side. Twist the pieces to form a braid, pinching the ends. Loop to form a circle. Place onto an oven tray lined with baking paper. Cover with a clean tea towel and let rise until doubled in size, approx. one hour.
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius (350 F). Brush each bread with egg wash and add sprinkles. Nestle one coloured egg into the centre of each bread. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden. Enjoy X
- Prep Time: 3 hours
- Cook Time: 15 mins