Russian Easter Bread

Name: Russian Easter Bread
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 16
Cuisine: Eastern European, European
Ingredients: 3 teaspoons active dry yeast (from a 1/4-oz package); 4 larges eggs; 1 pinch Pinch of saffron threads, crumbled; 2 teaspoons salt; 118 milliliters sugar plus a pinch; 177 milliliters 1/2 sticks unsalted butter; 59 milliliters lukewarm water (105–115°F); 237 milliliters whole milk

The recipe Russian Easter Bread could satisfy your Eastern European craving in approximately 45 minutes. One serving contains 132 calories, 3g of protein, and 10g of fat. This recipe covers 4% of your daily requirements of vitamins and minerals. This recipe serves 16. It will be It is a good option if you're following a gluten free and vegetarian diet. If you have milk, salt, saffron threads, and a few other ingredients on hand, you can make it.

Instructions

Heat milk, sugar, butter, saffron, and salt in a 1-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved, about 2 minutes.

Ingredients you will need

Saffron

Butter

Sugar

Milk

Salt

Equipment you will use

Sauce Pan

Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm.

Meanwhile, stir together yeast, warm water, and pinch of sugar and let stand until foamy, about 5 minutes. (If mixture doesn't foam, discard and start over with new yeast.)

Ingredients you will need

Sugar

Water

Yeast

Put flour in a large bowl and make a large well in center. Lightly beat 3 eggs and add to well along with milk and yeast mixtures. Carefully stir together with a wooden spoon, gradually incorporating flour, until a soft dough forms.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

All Purpose Flour

Yeast

Egg

Milk

Equipment you will use

Wooden Spoon

Bowl

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and knead, dusting with just enough flour to keep dough from sticking, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Put dough in a lightly oiled large bowl, turning to coat with oil, and let rise, covered with a clean kitchen towel, in a draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 3 hours.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

All Purpose Flour

Cooking Oil

Equipment you will use

Kitchen Towels

Bowl

Punch down dough and let rise again, covered with towel, until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Punch

Generously butter soufflé dishes. Punch down dough and divide in half. Loosely wrap 1 piece in plastic wrap and set aside.

Ingredients you will need

Butter

Dough

Punch

Wrap

Equipment you will use

Plastic Wrap

Cut away one third of remaining piece of dough and reserve, then roll remaining two thirds into a large ball and transfer to a soufflé dish.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Roll

Roll reserved piece of dough into an 18-inch-long rope on work surface with palms of your hands.

Ingredients you will need

Dough

Roll

Cut rope into 3 equal pieces and lay pieces vertically side by side on work surface, about 1/4 inch apart. Gather 3 ends farthest from you and press them together, then braid strands, pressing together other ends to secure braid.

Lay braid over top of dough in soufflé dish (trim braid if using coffee cans). Form another loaf with remaining dough in same manner.

Ingredients you will need

Coffee

Dough

Cover loaves with clean kitchen towel and let rise in draft-free place at warm room temperature until doubled in bulk, about 1 1/2 hours (loaves will rise about 1 inch above rims of dishes).

Equipment you will use

Kitchen Towels

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Equipment you will use

Oven

Lightly beat remaining egg with a large pinch of salt, then brush egg over top of each loaf.

Ingredients you will need

Salt

Egg

Bake loaves until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped on bottom, about 1 hour. Turn loaves out onto a rack, then turn right side up and cool completely.

Ingredients you will need

Bread