I always make Easter Bread on Good Friday but thought I would post this early so maybe some of you will join me. It is delicious to have toasted with butter for Easter Morning. I have seen it made with pastel colored eggs too( the dough wrapped around one egg...sort of like the egg is in a nest of bread) but I usually just leave them as is...white. Let me know what you think!
Good Friday always means Easter Bread...
enough to give out after dinner!
Easter Bread
2 pkg active yeast
1/2 cup warm water(105-115 degrees)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp. salt
6 eggs
1 1/2 cup sugar
8-9 cups flour
Sprinkle yeast into water in large bowl. Scald milk: Add to milk the 1/2 cup butter and salt, cool to luke warm.Beat eggs & sugar until light and fluffy. Add milk mixture to eggs and stir into yeast with wooden spoon. Put milk/yeast mixture into mixing bowl and use dough hook to incorporate flour. Start with 3 cups and stir in enough additional flour to make soft dough that leaves sides of bowl. Either turn out onto floured surface and knead 8- 10 minutes or use kneading hook on mixer, adding extra flour as necessary or until smooth and elastic. Put in greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place free from drafts for 1 1/2- 2 hours or until doubled. Punch down and let rest 10 minutes. Shape into loaves. Brush with egg wash. cover with PAM sprayed wrap. Let rise 45-50 minutes. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Brush with butter after baking. I made 8 braids from this recipe.
