Traditional Italian Easter Bread Recipe
Italian Easter Bread is a soft, lightly sweet braided bread infused with vanilla and citrus zest, traditionally decorated with dyed eggs and baked to a golden finish for Easter celebrations.
Calories:
Ingredients
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup milk warmed
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- Dyed Easter eggs for decoration
- Egg wash made with 1 egg and 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Mix warm milk with yeast and let stand 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
- Combine flour, sugar, salt, butter, eggs, vanilla, citrus zest, and yeast mixture to form a soft dough.
- Knead on a floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth, then cover and let rise 1 to 2 hours until doubled.
- Divide dough into three ropes, braid, shape into a circle, and place on a greased baking sheet.
- Gently nestle dyed eggs into the braid, spacing evenly.
- Cover and let rise again for 30 to 45 minutes until slightly puffy.
- Bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes until golden, then cool on a wire rack.