Easter Bread

Easter Bread involves a lot of symbolism, whether it involves the eggs woven into the bread, the shape of the bread, or the bread itself. This particular recipe is delicious, fun, and beautiful to look at. It’s a delicate sweet bread that is woven into rings and topped with a dyed egg and some sprinkles. You can dye the eggs whatever colors you want or just leave them plain. I tried to dye mine to match the sprinkles I used. I made mine into rings because I liked the way it looked and the size worked out well, but you can experiment with shapes that you find interesting or symbolize something meaningful. Any way you choose, it is sure to be delicious!

1 Package Yeast (2 1/4 tsp)

1 1/4 Cups Milk
Pinch Salt
1/3 Cup Butter
9 Eggs
1/2 Cup Sugar
5 Cups Flour
Vinegar
Food Coloring
Sprinkles

Boil 1/2 cup water in a mug or glass measuring cup. Whisk in 1 tsp vinegar and food coloring. Gently place an egg in the mixture and swirl lightly for up to 5 minutes or until desired color. Repeat with 5 more eggs, changing water when necessary or when changing colors. There is no need to boil the eggs before dying because they will cook when the bread bakes, but make sure you refrigerate the bread after you bake it.

Combine the butter and milk in a small pot until the butter is melted. Cool until just warm.

Combine the yeast, salt, 2 eggs, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Fold in the milk mixture, then beat in half of the flour using the dough hook. Gradually add the remaining flour to form a stiff dough; you may not use all of it. Knead until smooth.

Place the dough into a greased bowl and cover. Let rise in a warm, draft-free area for an hour or until doubled. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 pieces. Roll each into a 1″ thick log. Twist two ropes together, then form it into a ring. Repeat with remaining dough.

Place the rings on parchment-lined cookie trays. Place an egg in the center of each; it should be fairly snug. Cover and let rise for another hour.

Preheat oven to 350F. Beat the remaining egg with 1T water. Brush onto the rings, avoiding the egg in the center. Top with sprinkles and bake for 20 minutes or until golden and cooked through.

Makes 6 Rings
Recipe Adapted from http://italiandish.squarespace.com/