We decided to have a little fun today and make some Easter Egg Bread for tomorrow. It’s a neat little recipe, although I think next time I might look for a more interesting bread recipe. Seems to me this should work with any recipe where the dough rises enough.
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1/4 cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 eggs
- 5 whole eggs, dyed (do not boil in advance!)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- In a large bowl, mix 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast well.
- Warm milk and butter in a small saucepan until butter is softened but not melted.
- Gradually add the milk and butter to the flour mixture, stirring constantly. Add two eggs and 1/2 cup flour; mix well. Add the remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition until the dough pulls together. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for several minutes, until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for about an hour, or until doubled in volume.
- Deflate the dough and place it on a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into two equal parts. Cover and let rest for 10 minutes. Roll each part into a long roll about 36 inches long and 1 1/2 inches thick. My daughter loved this part, it’s kind of like playing with play dough.
- Using the two long pieces of dough, form a loosely braided ring. Pinch the ends of the ring together and use your fingers to slide the eggs between the braids of dough.
- Place loaf on a buttered baking sheet and cover loosely with a damp towel. Place loaf in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Brush risen loaf with melted butter.
- Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until golden.
This looks to have turned out fairly well. We aren’t eating it until tomorrow, so I can’t say anything about taste just yet.
