Italian Easter Bread

Name: Italian Easter Bread
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: Mediterranean, Italian, European
Ingredients: 118 milliliters (about) all purpose flour; 0 teaspoons almond extract; 118 milliliters whole unblanched almonds; 315 milliliters sliced almonds; 283 grams 1/2 cups chopped candied orange peel* (about; 2 teaspoons dry yeast; 3 larges egg whites; 4 larges egg yolks; 1 Tbsp honey; 16 servings Powdered sugar; 2 teaspoons fine sea salt; 237 milliliters sugar; 473 milliliters unbleached all purpose flour; 237 milliliters (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature (very soft), cut into 12 pieces; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 118 milliliters cool water; 3 Tbsps cool water; 3 Tbsps lukewarm whole milk

Italian Easter Bread might be just the Mediterranean recipe you are searching for. For 98 cents per serving, you get a bread that serves 16. One serving contains 432 calories, 8g of protein, and 21g of fat. It can be enjoyed any time, but it is especially good for Easter. From preparation to the plate, this recipe takes roughly 45 minutes. A mixture of sea salt, unbleached all purpose flour, candied orange peel, and a handful of other ingredients are all it takes to make this recipe so yummy. It is a good option if you're following a vegetarian diet.

Instructions

Combine water and sugar in bowl of heavy-duty mixer. Stir in yeast.

Ingredients you will need

Sugar

Water

Yeast

Equipment you will use

Blender

Bowl

Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes. Using rubber spatula, mix in flour (dough will be firm). Cover bowl with plastic wrap.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

All Purpose Flour

Yeast

Wrap

Equipment you will use

Plastic Wrap

Spatula

Bowl

Let starter rise until puffy, about 45 minutes. (Initially, the starter, or biga is firm and compact, but it softens and becomes puffy and spongy after rising.)

Attach dough hook to mixer.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Equipment you will use

Blender

Add all ingredients in step 2 to starter. Beat until blended, scraping down sides of bowl often, about 5 minutes (dough will be soft and thick). Scrape dough off hook; remove hook. Cover bowl with plastic.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Let dough rise at room temperature until puffy and bubbly on top, about 1 hour. The dough will look thick, shiny, and slightly puffed.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Reattach clean dough hook.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Add first 5 ingredients in step 3 to dough; beat until blended.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Add flour. Beat at low speed until smooth, scraping down bowl and hook often, about 5 minutes (dough will be firm and compact). Scrape dough off hook; remove hook. Cover bowl with plastic; let dough rise at room temperature until lighter in texture and slightly puffed, about 3 1/2 hours. The dough will double in volume and become lighter in texture but less glossy.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

All Purpose Flour

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Reattach clean dough hook.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Mix water and yeast in small cup.

Ingredients you will need

Water

Yeast

Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes; add to dough.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Yeast

Add 1 1/3 cups flour, half of butter, sugar, and 2 yolks; beat until dough is smooth, about 3 minutes. Scrape down dough hook and sides of bowl.

Ingredients you will need

Butter

Dough

All Purpose Flour

Sugar

Egg Yolk

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Add remaining 2 yolks, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat at low speed until blended, about 3 minutes. Scrape down hook.

Ingredients you will need

Vanilla Extract

Egg Yolk

Milk

Salt

Add remaining 2/3 cup flour, remaining butter, and orange peel. Beat dough until well blended, about 5 minutes. Scrape dough into very large (at least 4-quart) buttered bowl. Cover with plastic.

Ingredients you will need

Orange Zest

Butter

Dough

All Purpose Flour

Equipment you will use

Bowl

Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled and indentation remains when 2 fingers are pressed about 1/4 inch into dough, 8 to 10 hours.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour onto work surface. Scrape dough out onto floured work surface (dough will be soft and sticky). Gently toss dough in flour until easy to handle.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

All Purpose Flour

Brush away excess flour. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Divide 1 piece in half; shape each half into 10-inch-long log. Arrange 1 log crosswise in each paper baking mold, curving ends to fit.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

All Purpose Flour

Roll each remaining dough piece into 11-inch-long log, slightly tapered at ends.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Roll

Place 1 log across dough in each mold. (If using 2 springform pans, divide dough in half; place half in each prepared pan). Cover molds (or pans) with plastic.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Equipment you will use

Springform Pan

Let stand at room temperature until dough rises to top of each mold and indentation remains when 2 fingers are pressed about 1/4 inch into dough, about 3 1/4 hours.

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Dough

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Finely grind sugar and whole almonds in processor.

Ingredients you will need

Almonds

Sugar

Equipment you will use

Oven

Add egg whites and almond extract; blend 10 seconds. Peel plastic off dough in molds. Spoon half of almond glaze over top of each.

Ingredients you will need

Almond Extract

Egg Whites

Almonds

Dough

Glaze

Sprinkle each with sliced almonds. Sift powdered sugar over. Slide rimless baking sheet under molds; slide molds directly onto oven rack.

Ingredients you will need

Powdered Sugar

Sliced Almonds

Equipment you will use

Baking Sheet

Oven

Bake breads until brown on top and slender wooden skewer inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool breads completely on rack. (Can be made ahead. Wrap; let stand at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 week.)

Ingredients you will need

Wrap

Equipment you will use

Oven

Skewers