Delicious Easter Bread
I love making bread, especially for the holidays. With Easter coming up, I wanted to share this great braided Easter Bread recipe! I love everything about baking bread, from kneading the dough, to the wonderful aromas that waft through the house as the bread is baking. The texture is super soft on the inside with that gorgeous glossy finish from the egg wash on the outside; making it ideal to use for bread puddings. This Easter bread is strikingly impressive and while it may look like there is an extensive list of ingredients and steps, this bread is worth the endeavour.
Milk – I used 2% Lactose Free, but any milk will do. It needs to be at around 110°F degrees, I usually just pop it in the microwave for 1 minute. Butter – I always use unsalted butter, especially in breads, because we already add salt, so this way I can control how much salt is added to my bread. Did you know that small quantities of butter is added to breads because it results in a higher rise and a crisper crust! Sugar – Granulated. Sugar is important when making bread, it’s what makes it soft and tender by absorbing some of the water and slowing down the formation of gluten strands. It’s what feeds the yeast. Water – Lukewarm. Lukewarm water is between 98 and 105°F. Yeast – I used active dry yeast today. You can use instant yeast as well, the difference really is that active dry yeast needs to be activated first, whereas with instant yeast it’s not necessary. Eggs – Large. Flour – I used all-purpose flour. Salt – Believe me, salt makes all the difference, so don’t skip this! Sesame Seeds – For the top! You can also substitute with poppy seeds.
Make The Dough
Assemble And Bake:
What Is Easter Bread?
A slightly sweetened bread traditionally served on Easter Sunday. In many European countries, there are numerous traditions encompassing the use of bread during the Easter holiday. It is widely known that bread is significant for religious purposes.
Where Did The Name Come From?
The word “Easter” comes from “Eostre,” the name of the Anglo-Saxon goddess of light and spring. Each year, individuals would make special dishes to honor her in hopes that the year would be filled with fertility and prosperity. Bread played a special role and some say that celebrating with it dates back to ancient times.
Other Ways To Decorate Easter Bread
There are many ways to decorate Easter bread. Another popular way is to make Italian Easter breads which are basically wreaths sprinkled with sprinkles with colored eggs in the middle of each wreath.
What If I Don’t Have A Stand Mixer?
No problem, you can always make the dough by hand. Simply mix everything together in a large bowl, then transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead the dough by hand for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic.
Best Place For Dough To Rise
Dough thrives in a warm, draft-free environment. If your oven has a “proof” function, then use it. The “proof” function preheats the oven to 100°F degrees, causing a warm, but not hot environment for your dough to rise nicely. If your oven doesn’t have this “proof” function, I would still use the oven. What I usually do is preheat the oven to 200°F degrees, or whatever the lowest setting is for it. Once it reaches that temperature, turn off the oven, then place the dough in there to rise. This will speed up the proofing process tremendously.
How To Serve
If you like jam with your bread, this is for you. Easter bread is glorious with a jam or fresh lemon curd, the soft texture of the bread is like nothing else. You could even toss some butter and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar to make a homemade cinnamon roll! Easter bread is also the perfect bread to use for bread pudding, or French toast! Even if you are serving it as is at dinner, it is sure to be a hit.
Storing Fresh Bread
It’s best to store your homemade bread at room temperature in a cool dry place for up to 2-3 days. Heat and humidity can cause your bread to mold and storing it in the refrigerator can turn it stale quickly. To keep your Easter bread soft, store in an plastic bag or bread box.
More Delicious Bread Recipes To Try
No Knead Dutch Oven Crusty Bread Raisin Bread Hawaiian Sweet Rolls Sunflower Bread Pasca – Romanian Easter Bread Brioche Bread Portuguese Sweet Bread Rolls Parker House Rolls Watermelon Look Alike Raisin Bread Challah Texas Roadhouse Rolls Easy Focaccia
