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5 from 27 votes

Italian Easter Bread with Colored Eggs

A not too sweet traditional Italian Easter bread that is scented with orange. The dyed eggs cook as the bread bakes and when done is topped with an orange glaze.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Rising Time15 hours
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: bread, Breakfast, brunch
Cuisine: Italian
Servings: 10
Calories: 3659kcal
Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way

Ingredients

Starter

  • 1 cup 120 grams Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • ½ cup 113 gramscool water
  • ⅛ teaspoon instant yeast

Dough

  • 2 ¼ cups 269 grams Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons instant yeast
  • ⅓ cup 67 grams granulated sugar
  • 4 Tablespoons 57 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract + ¼ teaspoon orange oil { I used ¼ teaspoon Fiori di Sicilia}*
  • ¼ teaspoon ground anise seed
  • grated peel of 1 large orange
  • 6 dyed raw eggs - they will cook as the bread bakes

Glaze

  • 1 cup 113 grams confectioners' sugar, sifter
  • 2 to 3 Tablespoons 23 - 43 grams orange juice
  • decorating sugar for sprinkling on top -- can also use nonpareils for decorating

Instructions

  • Mix the starter ingredients, cover the bowl, and let rest at room temperature overnight, or for up to 15 hours.
  • Next day, combine the bubbly starter with all the remaining dough ingredients. Mix and knead, using a mixer or bread machine, until the dough is elastic and satiny. I don't recommend preparing the dough by hand because it is sticky and challenging to bring together.
  • Grease a large bowl and let the dough rise for 1 to 2 hours, until it's noticeably puffy.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly greased surface, divide it into two pieces and shape each piece into a 20 inch long rope. Twist the two ropes together and pinch the ends to form a wreath (crown).
  • Place the wreath (crown) on a parchment lined baking sheet and cover and allow it to rise until puffy, about 1-2 hours. Toward the end of the rising time preheat the oven to 375 F.
  • Before placing in the oven, gently spread the rope strands apart and place a dyed egg in between them. Space the eggs evenly around the crown.
  • Bake the crown for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven heat to 350 F and bake for an additional 20 minutes, tenting it for the final 10 minutes of baking. The finished loaf will be golden brown, and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center will register at least 190 F.
  • Remove the crown from the oven, and transfer it to a rack to cool.
  • To make the glaze: Stir together the sugar and 2 Tablespoons orange juice.Add more liquid ¼ teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is thin and pourable.
  • Drizzle the glaze onto the cooled braid, then decorate with the sugar crystals or sprinkles, if desired.

Notes

  • * Fiori di Sicilia is a flavoring sold by King Arthur Flour. It is excellent, I also use it in my Panettone recipe.
  • You can eat the eggs but if you intend to let the bread sit out for several hours -- refrigerate the eggs and then eat them later.
  • There is a disparity in rising times because rich dough sometimes take longer -- just look how it's rising and let that be your guide.
  • This recipe was adapted on the Easter Bread Wreath recipe on the King Arthur Blog.

Nutrition

Calories: 3659kcal | Carbohydrates: 596g | Protein: 104g | Fat: 95g | Saturated Fat: 44g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 42g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 1795mg | Sodium: 3589mg | Sugar: 267g