Easter Egg Bread
Celebrate Easter with this gorgeous Easter egg bread! Soft, moist, and golden, with a buttery-sweet taste and a pastel-colored egg baked right inside!
- Prep time
- 40 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 3/4 cup warm milk
- 1/4 ounce active dry yeast ((1 packet))
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, (softened)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, (beaten)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange blossom water ((zest of half an orange can be substituted))
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 1/4 cups all-purpose flour ((you may need as much as to 4 1/2 cups))
- 4 dyed eggs (recipe follows)
- egg wash ((one large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk))
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 1/3 cup boiling water
- 4 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
- 1 drop each of Rose Pink, Violet, Royal Blue, and Grass Green gel paste food coloring
- 4 large eggs (uncooked)
Instructions
- 1
Place the warm milk in a large mixing bowl, and stir in the yeast. Allow it to prove until foamy (about 10 minutes).
- 2
Stir in the softened butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, orange blossom water, and salt.
- 3
Stir in the flour, a half cup at a time, until the dough forms a ball and pulls away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
- 4
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic (5 to 10 minutes).
- 5
Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow it to prove until doubled in size (about 1 hour).
- 6
Punch down the dough and divide it into 4 equal balls.
- 7
Divide each ball in half and roll each half into a rope about 10 inches long.
- 8
Pinch 2 ropes together at one end, and twist them together. Pinch the other end together and bring the twist around into a circle shape.
- 9
Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and nestle a dyed egg in the center.
- 10
Repeat with the remaining dough balls and eggs.
- 11
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes.
- 12
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F, and lightly brush the loaves with egg wash, taking care to avoid the eggs.
- 13
Sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and puffed.
- 14
Divide the boiling water equally between 4 small bowls.
- 15
Place 1 teaspoon of vinegar in each bowl.
- 16
Place 1 drop of gel paste food coloring in each bowl, and stir to dissolve.
- 17
Place 1 uncooked egg in each bowl, turning to coat evenly with dye.
- 18
Allow the eggs to sit in the dye until desired color is reached, then remove and drain on a wire rack.