belated easter bread

happy belated easter!

to celebrate... i decided i wanted to try this easter bread

as found in bon appetit. and it's from them i quote ...

"this whimsical bread is traditionally served at Italian and Greek Easter celebrations,

though many Eastern European countries also claim it as their own."

i am neither italian or greek, but i like to celebrate nonetheless :)

 

first... for the perfect hard boiled egg...

directions

1. place 6-10 eggs in large pot.

2. pour in cold water to cover by 1 inch and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

3. remove from heat, cover pot, and let stand for 10 minutes.

4. transfer eggs to a medium bowl of ice water; let cool completely.

(feel free to dye your eggs) :)

now, for the dough...

ingredients

2/3 cup whole milk

5 tablespoons sugar, divided

1 3/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (from one 1/4-ounce envelope)

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature,

plus 1/2 tablespoon, melted\

directions

1. heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat

until an instant-read thermometer registers 110°–115°.

transfer milk to a 2-cup measuring cup; stir in 1 Tbsp. sugar.

sprinkle yeast over milk and whisk to blend.

let sit until yeast is foamy, about 5 minutes.

add eggs; whisk until smooth.

 

2. combine remaining 4 Tbsp. sugar, flour, and salt in the bowl 

of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. add milk mixture.

with mixer running, add 1/2 cup room-temperature butter,

1 piece at a time, blending well between additions. 

mix on medium speed for 1 minute.

knead on medium-high speed until dough is soft and silky, about 5 minutes.

**** if you do not have a stand mixer (like me, sad face) do not fret.

here are the food processor instructions:

combine remaining 4 Tbsp. sugar, flour, and salt in food processor. pulse to blend.

add milk mixture; process until combined.

with processor running, add 1/2 cup room-temperature butter,

1 piece at a time, blending well between additions. 

process until dough is soft and silky, 2–3 minutes longer.

 

let me just say......

i think this food processor method would work better IF

i had a larger food processor. mine was slightly tricky, as you can tell... :)

(#firstworldproblems)

dough will be sticky but should not be greasy.

if it is greasy, process for an additional 1–2 minutes.

3. transfer dough to the buttered bowl.

brush top of dough with remaining melted butter; cover with plastic wrap. 

4. let dough rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size,

1–1 1/2 hours

5. line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

punch down dough. divide into 3 equal pieces.

with lightly floured hands, roll each piece on a lightly floured surface

into a 16-inch-long rope with tapered ends. 

(if dough begins to bounce back, cover with a kitchen towel

and let rest for 10 minutes to allow dough to relax.)

6. arrange ropes side by side lengthwise on prepared sheet.

pinch top ends together. braid dough.

pinch bottom ends together to secure (braided loaf will be about 12 inches long).

tuck eggs between braids, spacing evenly.

loosely cover with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel.

let rise in a warm, draft-free area until puffed but not doubled in size, 45–50 minutes.

7. arrange a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 375 degrees.

whisk remaining egg with 2 tsp. warm water in a small bowl.

avoiding dyed eggs, brush dough all over with egg wash.

bake until bread is golden and an instant-read thermometer

inserted into center of loaf registers 190°, 20–25 minutes.

NOTE: ours took about 35-40 minutes to be done.

just watch it closely :)

8. let cool on a wire rack. serve warm or at room temperature.

a couple of things to note...

1. i am going to try out this dough on a couple of other receipes this week.

i don't think i've quite perfected it enough for you to try in your own kitchen.

please stand by for more tips and tricks :)

2. the stand mixer is definitely your best option :)

3. at first bite, i wasn't sure i loved it.

i felt like it was too crunchy on the outside, but too doughy,

BUT, after a couple of bites, we actually really enjoy this!

you obviously eat around the eggs, but it's fun and festive looking

and the bread is pretty sweet - perfect for dessert!

have a sweet day!