Thought I would make something other than a hot cross bun for easter, so here is a recipe for the Italian Easter bread. It's a sweet tasting bread, similar to brioche and is great to have plain or with some butter and jam.
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Category
Breakfast
Servings
6
Prep time
3 hours
Cook time
30 minutes
Thought I would make something other than a hot cross bun for easter, so here is a recipe for the Italian Easter bread. It's a sweet tasting bread, similar to brioche and is great to have plain or with some butter and jam. FYI - the eggs on top are just for decoration.
Ingredients
- 120ml (4 fl oz) milk
- 50g (1.75 oz) sugar
- 7g (¼ oz) yeast
- 550g (19.4 oz) flour
- 1 tsp salt
- zest of 1 orange
- 120ml (4 fl oz) orange juice
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ tsp ground cloves
- 60g (2.1 oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3 eggs, for dyeing
- pine and blue dye
- 2 tbsp white vinegar
- sprinkles, for decoration
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Directions
Start by warming the milk and sugar in a small pot over low heat to about 30°C (86°F). Then, add the yeast and stir until the sugar and yeast have dissolved.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, salt, orange zest, orange juice, 2 beaten eggs, and ground cloves. Attach the dough hook and start mixing, then pour in the milk yeast mixture.
- Mix the dough on low speed for 4-5 minutes or until smooth. Then, add the room temperature butter and continue to mix until the butter is fully incorporated. Turn the dough out onto the counter and roll into a tight ball. Place the ball into a container and cover with an airtight lid or cling film. Leave to prove until it has doubled in size.
- While the dough is proving, prepare the dye for the eggs. In two separate bowls, add 300ml water, 1 tablespoon vinegar, and a splash of each dye colour to each bowl. Mix well, then add 2 eggs to each bowl. Leave them in the colour for 20 minutes before removing and setting aside.
- Once the dough has proved, turn it out onto a bench and cut into 3 even pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope of the same length, then plait the 3 dough ropes.
- Place the plaited dough onto a lined tray, forming a circle and pressing the ends together to join. Place 3-4 of the coloured eggs in the centre of the plait and cover the tray with cling film. Leave to prove again for 1 hour or until it has doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 180°C (356°F).
- Once proved, brush with beaten egg and sprinkle on the sprinkles. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let it rest/cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.
