Woven Easter Bread Recipe
This is traditionally an Italian Easter Bread. If you’ve been wanting to dip your toes into bread baking, this is a great place to start. It's an easy sweet bread and with a beautiful and unique result.
Ingredients:
BREAD
1 ¼ c. milk
⅓ c. unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
2 ¼ tsp instant yeast,
⅛ tsp kosher salt
½ c. granulated sugar
2 large eggs, beaten
4 c. all-purpose flour
EGG WASH
1 large egg, + 1 tsp water
TOPPING
3 eggs, raw or hard boiled, or dyed
Directions:
1) Warm milk and melt butter, in a small saucepan to 108ºF. Do not allow the milk to go above 130°F. Add yeast and stir.
2) In a large mixing bowl, combine salt, sugar and 2 eggs and then add the warmed liquid mixture.
3) Incorporate 2 cups of flour. Slowly add the remaining 2 cups of flour. Knead until the dough is stiff and smooth; about 15 mins.
4) Shape dough into a ball, cover with a beeswax wrap or towel and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Divide into 6 equal pieces and then roll into a 1-inch wide rope, about 14-inches long. Weave 2 of the ropes, pinching the ends together and then loop into a circle. Make sure the ends are securely joined together, you can slightly wet them to help them stick together.
5) Line 2 pans with parchment paper and place 2 egg baskets per sheet. Loosely cover with beeswax wrap or a dish towel and allow it to rise in a warm area, until it doubles in size, 45 to 60 minutes.
6) Preheat the oven to 350°F and place a rack in the middle.
7) Make an egg wash by whisking together 1 egg and 1 teaspoon water. Brush each egg basket with the wash. Gently place one egg in the center of each woven basket. Raw or hardboiled and dyed eggs can be used. Raw eggs will be soft-boiled after baking. Do not press into the dough, it will sink as it bakes.
8) Bake one tray at a time until golden brown, approximately 20 minutes. Transfer the baked bread to a cooling rack.
9) The recipe makes 3 Egg Baskets. Each ring serves 6 people.
