I enjoy surfing through various baking websites looking for great recipes. Last Easter I wanted to bake an Easter Bread and found a great recipe which I would like to share. I have tried other Easter Bread recipes but have found that once baked, the bread was dry and not very tasty. This recipe is a keeper. The Easter Bread once baked, is very moist and extremely tasty. This one is a keeper in my family.
Dough:
1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
1/2 cup milk (110 to 115 degrees)
2 pkgs., active dry yeast (4 tsp.)
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp., salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups of all purpose flour
Topping:
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoon rum
Lemong Icing Sugar
1 cup Icing sugar
2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 teaspoon milk
Dough:
In a large bowl (of mixing stand), combine warm water, warm milk and yeast. Stir well and let stand for 10 mins.
Add sugar, slightly beaten eggs, lemon zest, melted (&cooled) butter and salt and beat with paddle attachment until smooth. Add 2 cups flour (at Stir setting) and mix. Mix enough flour until you get a soft consistency (do not add all of the flour). When I prepare it, I added 3 1/2 cups and then transferred to working board and poured remaining 1/2 of flour and started kneading my dough until soft and silky (but not sticky and not too hard). 5 cups was to much but it all depends on the flour your using. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes, then place in a large bowl greased with oil and turn dough over (greased both sides), cover with saran wrap and heavy tea towel and let rest for 1 to 2 hours.
Prepare 2 baking sheets (or 1 very large baking sheet) and grease with shortening and set aside.
On working board, add a bit of flour and punch down dough and knead for about 4 to 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 parts. Take one part and roll into a rope about 36" long. Take the second part and roll again and then pinch the 2 ropes at the top and make a braid. Form a circle and pinch ends. Place on greased baking sheet. Continue with the last 2 remaining parts of dough.
Prepare your topping: In a small bowl, place 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water and whisk together. Brush your bread with the egg wash. In another bowl, combine slivered almonds, sugar and rum and stir until well combined. Sprinkle over your 2 breads. Cover again with a tea towel and let stand for about 35 to 40 minutes.
Preheat oven at 350 Degrees F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes on second to last rack until golden brown and when you tap it, you hear a hollow sound. Place on cooling rack to cool.
Prepare Icing: In a bowl, combine icing sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla and start adding 1 tsp of milk at a time until you reach a good consistency to drizzle. While bread is still warm, drizzle over breads.
I decided to colour a few boiled eggs to make my Easter Bread presentable but this is an option. Enjoy.
Dough:
1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
1/2 cup milk (110 to 115 degrees)
2 pkgs., active dry yeast (4 tsp.)
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp., salt
4 1/2 to 5 cups of all purpose flour
Topping:
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon water
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoon rum
Lemong Icing Sugar
1 cup Icing sugar
2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 to 4 teaspoon milk
Dough:
In a large bowl (of mixing stand), combine warm water, warm milk and yeast. Stir well and let stand for 10 mins.
Add sugar, slightly beaten eggs, lemon zest, melted (&cooled) butter and salt and beat with paddle attachment until smooth. Add 2 cups flour (at Stir setting) and mix. Mix enough flour until you get a soft consistency (do not add all of the flour). When I prepare it, I added 3 1/2 cups and then transferred to working board and poured remaining 1/2 of flour and started kneading my dough until soft and silky (but not sticky and not too hard). 5 cups was to much but it all depends on the flour your using. Knead for about 8 to 10 minutes, then place in a large bowl greased with oil and turn dough over (greased both sides), cover with saran wrap and heavy tea towel and let rest for 1 to 2 hours.
Prepare 2 baking sheets (or 1 very large baking sheet) and grease with shortening and set aside.
On working board, add a bit of flour and punch down dough and knead for about 4 to 5 minutes. Divide the dough into 4 parts. Take one part and roll into a rope about 36" long. Take the second part and roll again and then pinch the 2 ropes at the top and make a braid. Form a circle and pinch ends. Place on greased baking sheet. Continue with the last 2 remaining parts of dough.
Prepare your topping: In a small bowl, place 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon of water and whisk together. Brush your bread with the egg wash. In another bowl, combine slivered almonds, sugar and rum and stir until well combined. Sprinkle over your 2 breads. Cover again with a tea towel and let stand for about 35 to 40 minutes.
Preheat oven at 350 Degrees F and bake for 25 to 30 minutes on second to last rack until golden brown and when you tap it, you hear a hollow sound. Place on cooling rack to cool.
Prepare Icing: In a bowl, combine icing sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla and start adding 1 tsp of milk at a time until you reach a good consistency to drizzle. While bread is still warm, drizzle over breads.
I decided to colour a few boiled eggs to make my Easter Bread presentable but this is an option. Enjoy.
Great presentation. Love the colored eggs. So pretty. The bread looks delicious
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