Easter Bread

An Easter tradition in our family has been this Italian Easter bread that I use to make every year when Nick and Lauren were growing up.  They both loved it and the fact that there was an egg in the middle, I think was a thrill to them.  I don't think I've made it since they both went off to college but now that we are back in Seattle, Lauren asked if I was going to make the Easter bread.  I happily obliged.  I got the recipe from the Seattle Times in the early 90's.

The column was called "Ruthie's Recipes" by Ruth De Ross.  She had gotten it from a reader who sent it in, named Bellotti Angiono.  (Italian, of course)  She explained that this Italian Easter bread has been a tradition for generations in Italy and has many variations.  Some have fruits in it, or nuts, anise seed or wine.  It's an Easter version of the Italian Christmas bread called Panettone.  She said that in Italy, the children hunt Easter bread, much like children here hunt for eggs.  An Easter bread is made for each child and hidden around the house.  Easter morning, the children have an Easter bread hunt.  I've seen this recipe a lot over the years, now with the internet, etc.  Some versions are made as small loaves for individual servings just as the Italian version described above.  I've made this one so many times that for our family, it is the perfect version.  Just the right amount of lemon-y flavor and just the right amount of sweetness.  I'm glad to be able to bring this Easter bread back as our Easter tradition once again.

Makes 1 large round loaf

1 package dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup soft butter
6 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. grated lemon peel
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
4-1/2 cups flour
1 hard-cooked Easter egg
1 egg white
2 Tbsp. sugar

1.  Stir yeast into warm water (110-115 degrees).

2.  Scald milk and cool.

3.  In a large mixer bowl, cream butter until fluffy.  Add sugar, lemon peel, vanilla, and salt.   Beat until  mixture is fluffy.

4.  Beat in eggs, one at a time.  Mix in milk and yeast.  Batter will be running and chunky. Slowly beat in flour until you can add no more with the mixer.  

5.  Add the rest of the flour by hand until you have a soft dough.  Turn dough onto a well floured surface.

6.  Knead vigorously until smooth and elastic about 10 minutes.

7.  Put dough in a large buttered bowl, turning over to grease all sides.

8.  Set bowl in oven covered with a clean cloth and place a pan of hot water on the rack beneath it.  Close oven door and let rise about 1-1/2 hours or until double in size.

9.  Punch down. (my favorite part)

10.  Shape dough into a smooth ball on a cookie sheet.

11.  Put back in the oven with the pan of hot water and let rise again about 25 minutes or until double.

12.  Carefully make a depression in the center of the dough and place the Easter egg in the center.  If desired, a bit of dough can be used to make two crosswise strips across the top of the egg. (I take a sharp knife and cut a couple of slivers of dough off around the bottom of the loaf)

13.  Beat egg white and 2 Tbsp. of sugar until just frothy.

14.  Brush over the bread dough.

15.  Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven about 50 minutes.  After 30 minutes, place a foil tent loosely over the top of the bread so it doesn't become too brown and bake the rest of the 20 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

My notes on my recipe state that if you want to make two smaller loaves, bake for only 25 minutes.  After 15 minutes, cover with foil so it doesn't get too dark and finish baking the rest of the 10 minutes.  

Happy Easter and enjoy your Easter bread!