Easy Italian Easter Bread Recipe

Easy Italian Easter Bread Recipe photo by Taste of Home

Read reviews (1)

Rate recipe

This traditional Easter bread is topped with colored raw eggs, which cook as the bread bakes. It makes for a pretty centerpiece.

This recipe is:

Diabetic Friendly

[X]

Rate Easy Italian Easter Bread Recipe

Click on stars to rate

Would you make this recipe again?

Write a review

[X]

Easy Italian Easter Bread Recipe

Prep: 30 min. + rising Bake: 30 min.

Yield: 20 Servings

30 30 60

Ingredients

2-3/4 to 3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup 2% milk
3 tablespoons butter, divided
2 eggs
1/2 cup chopped mixed candied fruit
1/4 cup chopped blanched almonds
1/2 teaspoon aniseed
5 uncooked eggs, dyed
GLAZE:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons 2% milk
Decorator candies, optional

Directions

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a large saucepan, heat milk and 2 tablespoons butter to 120°-130°. Add dry ingredients; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs; mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
Punch dough down; turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in fruit, almonds and aniseed until blended. Let rest for 10 minutes. Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into a 24-in. rope. Loosely twist ropes together; place on a greased baking sheet and form into a ring. Pinch ends together. Melt remaining butter; brush over dough. Gently separate ropes and tuck dyed eggs into openings. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes.
Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. For glaze, in a bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency; drizzle over bread. Sprinkle with candies if desired. Yield: 1 loaf (20 slices).

Nutritional Facts 1 slice equals 172 calories, 5 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 80 mg cholesterol, 169 mg sodium, 28 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 5 g protein.

Originally published as Italian Easter Bread in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2004, p166