Sweet And Golden Easter Bread Recipes

SWEET BRAIDED EASTER BREAD WITH RAISINS

Steps:

• Prep the Raisins: Place 2 cups of raisins into a small bowl. Pour boiling hot water until the water covers the raisins entirely. Let the raisins soak for 15 minutes, then drain the water and rinse the raisins. Set the raisins aside, for now, we'll use them in the recipe later.
• Heat milk and add sugar: Next, heat milk in a small saucepan over a stovetop burner on high heat for about 30 seconds or so until the milk reaches a lukewarm temperature. The milk should be barely warm at this point.
• Now transfer the milk into a small bowl. Add ¼ cup of sugar to it and stir well until the sugar dissolves entirely.
• Add yeast to milk-sugar mixture: Time to add the yeast! Sprinkle the active dry yeast over this milk-sugar mixture. Stir it in and then set it aside in a warm place for 15 minutes to allow the yeast to activate.
• You'll notice bubbles forming on the top once the yeast has activated. You'll also be able to smell the distinctive scent of yeast once it's done.
• Melt butter: Next, melt butter in a bowl in the microwave or on the stovetop. Set it aside to let it cool down.
• Beat eggs and sugar: In the large bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs and sugar on high for 10 minutes or until it turns foamy and pale yellow in color.
• Add the yeast mixture: Now reduce to a low speed and slowly mix in the yeast mixture.
• Mix in salt and vanilla extract: Continue mixing on low while adding salt and vanilla exact to this combined mixture.
• Add melted butter: Next, add the melted butter that we set aside to cool. Continue mixing the mixture on a low speed.
• Add raisins and flour: Finally, add raisins to this mixture. Now switch o the dough hook attachment on your stand mixer. Add 1 cup of flour at a time until 6 cups of flour have been incorporated.
• Continue mixing until the dough comes together and feels smooth and elastic. This should take approximately 15 minutes.
• Let the dough rise in a warm environment for 2 hours. Cover it with a kitchen towel or plastic wrap to let it rise.
• After the dough has risen and tripled in volume, transfer it onto a floured surface. I used a large cutting board. Split the dough in half.
• Take one-half of the dough and roll it into a log. Then split it into four equal pieces.
• Roll each of the four smaller pieces into thin, long logs (about 1.5-foot-long and 1 inch thick).
• Pinch the ends of all four thin logs together to start shaping them into a braid.
• Braid them into a nice and even braid as is shown in the picture (I have video instructions on my Instagram account under the Easter Bread bubble on how to make and braid this bread).
• Pinch the opposite end of the braided loaf together, then place it on a greased baking sheet.
• Using a hand whisk, whisk egg, and milk together until it's well mixed.
• Brush the egg wash generously over the top of the easter bread challah.
• Repeat the same steps with the second half of the dough by shaping it and brushing egg wash on top of it as we did with the first piece.
• Let the braided challahs rise in a warm place for another 45 minutes to an hour. It will expand nicely and close the gaps.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake each pan for 25 minutes or both pans for 30 minutes rotating them 10 minutes before the baking time ends.
• Remove from the oven and let them cool for 15 minutes before removing them from the pan.
• Remove from the oven and let them cool for 15 minutes on a wire rack before removing them from the pan.

SWEET BRAIDED EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Combine milk, oil, salt, orange extract, 2 eggs at room temperature, sugar, orange zest, 4 cups of flour, and yeast in a bread machine, in that order. Set to Dough cycle and start the machine; be sure to peek inside while dough is mixing and add additional flour as needed to create a soft, but not wet, dough.
• Transfer dough to an oiled bowl and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a rapid simmer and add 4 whole eggs to soft boil. Continue to simmer for 6 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool quickly.
• Punch risen dough down and turn onto a floured surface. Divide into 3 even pieces. Roll each piece to form about a 1 1/2-inch thick rope that is 12 inches long. Take the pieces and braid them together, pinching the ends. Loop into a circle and pinch the ends to close. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Align boiled eggs evenly about the braid and push in gently, about 1/3 of the way down. Cover and let rise again, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine remaining room temperature egg, 2 tablespoons water, and anise extract in a bowl for egg wash. Brush braid with the egg wash, being careful not to get any on your boiled eggs or while baking they will have cooked wash on them and won't dye nicely.
• Bake in the preheated oven, switching between another parchment-lined baking sheet every 10 minutes throughout baking time to prevent the bottom from getting too dark, until browned, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool thoroughly, 20 to 30 minutes.
• Paint your eggs on the bread with liquid food dye. Be careful not to drip on the bread. Let dry, about 10 minutes. Brush bread with anisette liqueur and let dry before serving, about 5 minutes more.