Description
Italian Easter Egg Bread is a sweet holiday treat
Ingredients
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup sugar
1 packet active dry yeast
1-teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon anise seed, toasted, ground
½ cup milk
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ teaspoon fiori di sicilia or 1 teaspoon vanilla
grated zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs
1 egg, separated
½ cup chopped dried fruit
¼ cup chopped toasted almonds
6 eggs, (dye 5 of them blue)
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
sprinkles
Instructions
- In bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle, combine 1-cup flour, sugar, yeast, salt and ground anise.
- In 1-cup microwave safe measure, combine milk, honey and butter; microwave on HIGH for 45 seconds. Stir well. Mixture should be very warm (125-130F). Stir fiori di sicilia or vanilla into milk.
- Add milk mixture and lemon zest to dry ingredients; beat for 2 minutes or until mixture is well blended scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
- Add 2 eggs plus 1 egg white; blend well.
- Change paddle to dough hook.
- Add remaining flour; beat on medium-low for 6 minutes.
- Add dried fruit and almonds; mix 2 minutes more.
- Scrape dough into an oiled bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover and let rest for 90 minutes.
- On floured surface divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 24-inch rope.
- On a baking sheet lined with parchment. Twist ropes loosely together and form them into a circle or nest. Cover with plastic wrap; let rest for 1 hour.
- Heat oven 350F. Insert raw dyed eggs into spaces in twisted dough. Place the white egg in the center.
- Mix remaining egg yolk with 1 teaspoon of water; brush over dough.
- Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until golden and internal temperature is 200F on an instant read thermometer. Cool.
- Mix powdered sugar and lemon juice; drizzle over bread. Top with sprinkles.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: bread
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: Italian