Easter Bread

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I come from a family of all Germans, but we have very few German traditions and even fewer recipes. You would think a German family from Cincinnati would be rich in ethnic recipes, but, nope. I mentioned a lack of an Easter bread recipe to my mother-in-law, who is also of German ancestry and she said, "Germans only make noodles." She was teasing, but maybe it's true. At least when it comes to Easter bread. I couldn't find a recipe any where. So, I made up my own. It was yummy, though I really don't have anything to compare it to, having come from a Easter Bread-less family. It was just a tad bit cinnamony, and I think that next year I'll add some orange zest, which I've noted as optional in the recipe. It was soft, and fluffy and the perfect Easter morning breakfast.

Easter Bread

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1/2 c. warm water

1/2 c. warm milk (baby bottle warm)

1 T. active yeast

3 T. soft butter

1/2 c. sugar

3 eggs at room temp.

1 t. vanilla

1 t. cinnamon

pinch nutmeg (or more if you like nutmeg)

1 t. orange zest (optional)

1 t. salt

> 4 cups bread flour, depending on the humidity

Four eggs, colored with Easter egg color, but not hard boiled (color them after the kids are finished coloring the hard boiled eggs so you don't risk contaminating your hard-boiled eggs)

2 cups powdered sugar

a tablespoon or more of orange juice

Pour warm milk and water into a mixing bowl. Sprinkle with a small amount of sugar (from the 1/2 cup measure), and then sprinkle with yeast. Let sit for about five minutes.

Add butter and eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and orange zest (if desired). With a dough hook on medium high speed add two cups flour. Slowly add in remaining measure of flour a few tablespoons at a time until dough is soft but not sticky, adding a little bit more than 4 cups of flour if necessary to get a dough that is not sticky.

Place dough in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a tea towel. Let bowl sit in a warmish place for an hour or until dough has doubled in size.

Punch dough down and divide into three equal parts.



Roll each piece into a 20 inch rope.



Pinch ropes together at one end and braid them together. Pinch together at the other end. 

Place braid in a ring shape on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet.




Press eggs into braid gently (they are still raw!).





Cover and let rise for 45 minutes until doubled in size. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. (Gently push eggs down again but be careful not to deflate the dough.)


 

Whisk together an egg and a few teaspoons of water. Brush over bread. Bake for 40 minutes or until loaf sounds hollow and is deep golden brown on top. (You can use an instant-read thermometer if you like and bake until temp is 190 degrees F.)

When bread is completely cool, mix together powdered sugar with enough orange juice to make a thick glaze. Drizzle over bread.

After glaze hardens, wrap with plastic wrap until ready to serve.

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