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Chocolate Chocolate and More!

Welcome to my baking adventures.

March 29, 2021

Italian Easter Bread

Italian Easter Bread is traditional.  You can make your own changes to personalize it.  

A twisted Italian Easter Bread covered in colorful sprinkles and a blue Easter egg.

Working with yeast bread is a little temperamental but you just have to know a few tricks.

I enjoy watching the dough rise and double in size.

three twisted rings of raw bread dough

The two main things to know about working with yeast are don’t let it touch the salt before it’s all mixed together or it won’t rise and don’t have your milk too warm or the yeast will die.

To personalize your Italian Easter Bread you can add orange zest or any combination of herbs that you like.

three braids of bread with Easter eggs

 

One thing that you absolutely have to include is the colorful sprinkles and eggs.

Some people boil their eggs first but I find that they come out quite nicely and fully cooked when I put them in the oven raw.

While the dough is rising is a great time to color your eggs.  Then leave them out to dry because they will do better if they are room temperature when you put them in the oven.

a basket full of colorful Italian Easter bread

My house wasn’t very warm the day I was making the bread so I placed my bowl on a heating pad to make it rise better.

a closeup of a Easter bread braid with a blue egg in the middle

Italian Easter Bread

A twisted Italian Easter Bread covered in colorful sprinkles and a blue Easter egg.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 package rapid rise yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 1 1/4 cup warm milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup unsalted butter
  • 2 large eggs, beaten
  • 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
  • 4 cups all  purpose flour
  • 6 dyed eggs
  • 1 egg for egg wash

Instructions

  1. In a small bowl heat the milk in the microwave for 1 1/2 minutes.
  2. Check the temperature to make sure it isn't over 130F degrees and then add the yeast.
  3. In a large mixing bowl combine the sugar, butter, salt, eggs and milk mixture. Mix the ingredients until combined.
  4. Add 2 cups of flour and mix with dough hook attachment for about 2 minutes at medium speed.
  5. Add the remaining flour and mix at low-medium for approximately 14 minutes until the dough attaches to the hook.
  6. Shape the dough into a ball and place in a greased bowl with a cover for about 1 hour until doubled in size.
  7. While the bread is rising color 6 eggs and let them dry until it's time to bake.
  8. Divide the dough into 12 pieces and roll them out with your hands into long strands about 14 inches long.
  9. Twist two pieces together and form a circle by pinching at the ends.
  10. Place onto a parchment lined baking sheet three at a time. Cover with cling wrap and let rest for another hour.
  11. Brush each circle with egg wash and cover in sprinkles. Place a colored egg in the center of each.
  12. Bake at 350F degrees for approximately 20 minutes.

Notes

If your bread starts getting too brown before it is done then cover it loosely with aluminum foil.

If you don't have a convection oven then you might want to bake each sheet separately.

Having the colored eggs at room temperature when going into the oven will keep them from sweating and messing up the dye.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6 loaves

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 605Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 341mgSodium: 237mgCarbohydrates: 84gFiber: 2gSugar: 17gProtein: 21g
© Karen Aromatorio

More Bread

White Bread-simple and tasty

Wheat Bread

Beer Bread

Buttery White Bread

Photo Credit: www.thatskinnychickcanbake.com

Braided Easter Bread Recipe - That Skinny Chick Can Bake

Photo Credit: www.hungrycouplenyc.com

Buttery Breakfast Quick Bread

 

Filed Under: Breads & Muffins, Sweet, Yeast Breads Tagged With: Easter, Easter Bread, Holiday, Italian Easter Bread, sweet bread, yeast bread

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We are a family that loves baking, good food, good times spent with family and friends, and exploring new places. Many of our most cherished family times have been cooking together in the kitchen at holidays or family gatherings. We invite you into our kitchens to share our love of all things chocolate and more (other desserts and even some healthy options). Read More

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