My Easter Bread

Easter Bread sits on a peach rimmed plate with a green plant in the background.

4.34 from 3 votes

Easter Bread is traditional in many European countries including Russia, Greece, Poland and more. Usually a slightly sweet bread filled with dried or candied fruit, it can be glazed or not.

Prep Time25

Cook Time40

Rising time2

Total Time3 5

Course: Bread

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Easter, Easter Bread

Servings:

Calories: 367kcal

Author: Helen S. Fletcher

Ingredients

Easter Bread

1 cup milk*
½ cup unsalted butter (114 grams or 1 stick)
½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
½ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Zest from 1 medium lemon
2 ¼ teaspoons instant yeast
4 cups bread flour (560 grams)
1 ½ cups dried or candied fruit**
*if using active dry yeast, dissolve it in ¼ cup water and use ¾ cup milk
**I used ½ cup raisins, ½ cup dried cranberries and ½ cup dried apricots

Glaze

1 ½ cup powdered sugar (200 grams)
1 tablespoon corn syrup
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
Multi colored nonpareils as needed.

Instructions

Easter Bread

If using dried fruit such as raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries soaked in them in really hot water while preparing the rest of the recipe.
If using active dry yeast, add it to ¼ cup warm water and reduce the milk to ¾ cup adding it where called.
If using instant yeast, use 1 cup of milk.
Heat the milk, butter, sugar and salt in a small saucepan until the butter is melted. Cool to lukewarm and pour it into a mixing bowl fitted with a douogh hook. .
Whisk the yeast, eggs, vanilla and lemon zest into the milk mixture.
Add half the flour and beat on medium until completely combined and smooth.
Drain the soaked fruit very well and squeeze out any water. Mix it with the other fruit. Add the fruit to the batter along with the remaining flour. Beat until smooth; beat for 3 minutes more.
Spray a container at least 3 times as big as the bread. Spray it with a non-stick baking release and put the dough in. Cover with plastic wrap and cover the container, marking the time on it. Allow it to rise until at least doubled,
This is a rich dough and, as such, can be a slow riser if the room is cool. If so, place the container in the oven with the light on and an instant thermometer. Check in about 45 to 60 minutes to make sure the temperature is no higher than 85*F. If it is, prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon.
At this point the dough can be worked right away or it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
When ready to shape, spray your pan well. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in the pan, pressing it down to flatten it. The dough should come up about half way or a bit more. Cover and let it rise for about 1 to ½ hours or until it is light and risen.
For the small individual Easter Bread I used 40 grams for a 2 ounce container and 90 grams for the 5 ounce container, Be sure to spray the containers. Cover and let rise for about 1 ½ hours.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the large Easter Bread for 35 to 40 minutes until deeply browned. Cover the top loosely with foil if it browns too quickly. Bake the smaller breads about 20 to 25 minutes. Cool before glazing.

To Glaze

Mix the ingredients together with a spoon A whisk incorporates too many air bubbles. You want this to run down the sides of the bread, but still be decently thick on top. Add milk sparingly if needed.
To finish the large bread, pour the glaze in the middle and push it over the edge so it runs down the sides a bit. Sprinkle with the nonpareils immediately,
Do the same, in smaller amounts for the small ones. Springle with the nonpareils immediately.
Allow the glaze to dry.

Notes

There is always an abundance of photos to guide you in the post above. If you have questions, look at the photos or read the header of the article. Many of them will be answered there.

As always, I recommend using a scale for accuracy and consistency. Flour, in particular, is difficult to measure. For my recipes, I use 140 grams per cup of unsifted all-purpose, bread or whole wheat flour and 125 grams of cake flour. Others may use different weights so use whatever they suggest.

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Use Bread flour to get the highest rise and lightest texture.

As a rich dough (one that has butter, eggs and sugar), this can be a slow riser. If it is, put in an oven with the light turned on. Place an instant thermometer in the oven with the bread. Check it in about 45 to 60 minutes to make sure it is not too hot. It should not be hotter than about 80° to 85°F. If it is, prop the door open with a wood spoon.

Any 8 to 9 cup bake-proof container can be used, especially if it is tall. If the pan is shorter, like a bundt pan, the baking time may have to be reduced.

Nutrition