Easter Bread

Dense, sweet and delicious Easter bread (especially when toasted with butter the next day or two).

Click on the link below to watch videos on how my Mom and I make our Easter bread: https://fb.watch/aw2VenVVZD/ https://fb.watch/aw2Z7jjr_q/

EASTER BREAD

2/3 Cup Warm Water

2 packages Yeast

½ Cup Milk

2/3 Cup Sugar

1 teaspoon Salt

6 Tablespoons Butter

4 eggs

6 2/3 Cups Sifted Flour

Icing (optional)

Powdered sugar, milk, vanilla & salt

Nonpareil beads

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Mix 2 packages of yeast in 2/3 cup of warm water and set aside.

3. Scold milk, stir in sugar, salt and butter. Set aside and let cool.

4. Once cool, add yeast and milk mixtures together.

5. Add flour and eggs and mix with a dough hook until a clean ball is formed (don’t over-mix or your dough will be rubbery).

6. Cover with a paper towel and a kitchen towel on top in a glass bowl sprayed with Baking Pam and let rise 1.5 hours.

7. Remove ball and cut in half and then cut each half into 3 sections.

8. Roll each section into 12” long logs and then braid and pinch the ends (use a bit of water, if needed). You will have 2 loaves, 3 braids each.

9. Place braids on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (you can fit two loaves lengthwise on a baking sheet).

10. Cover again and let rise for another 1.5 hours.

11. Brush each loaf with egg and bake in 375-degree oven for 30 minutes (brush with egg every 10 minutes, so a total of 3 times). Use a cake tester to make sure it’s cooked all the way through.

12. Let cool completely and add icing (optional).