Babees Easter Bread Epicurious Recipes

EASTER BREAD DOLLS (PUPI OR TITOLA)

Steps:

• Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Butter paper.
• For 1 doll, use 1 ball of dough:
• Cut off 1/3 of ball. From smaller piece, pinch off golf-ball-sized piece. On lightly floured surface, roll largest piece of dough into 20-inch-long rope. Roll medium-sized piece into 10-inch-long rope. Divide smallest piece into 2 pieces and roll each into thin 5-inch-long rope.
• On floured surface, form longest rope into inverted "U" shape. Arrange medium-sized rope with 1 end intersecting top center of "U," to form 3 strands of equal length. Gently press where ropes intersect to adhere.
• Gently braid strands, tucking last inch under to form round bottom. Gently press 1 dyed egg into braid about 1 inch from top. Using remaining 2 thin ropes, form cross over egg, pressing ends to adhere to body of doll. Using tines of fork, make 4 crimps on bottom of doll to form "feet." Using spatula or bench scraper, carefully transfer doll to baking sheet, leaving room for second doll alongside.
• Repeat entire process with remaining 2 balls of dough to make 2 more dolls, arranging third doll by itself on 2nd baking sheet. Loosely cover dolls with buttered plastic wrap. Let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake dolls 35 minutes. In small bowl, whisk together egg, sugar, and 2 tablespoons water until sugar is dissolved. Brush dolls with egg mixture and bake until very deep golden brown and knife inserted into center comes out clean, about 10 minutes more. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. (Dolls will keep, wrapped well in plastic wrap, 1 week at room temperature or 6 to 8 weeks frozen.)

ITALIAN EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• For step 1 (Making starter):
• Combine water and sugar in bowl of heavy-duty mixer. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes. Using rubber spatula, mix in flour (dough will be firm). Cover bowl with plastic wrap. 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.)
• For step 2:
• Attach dough hook to mixer. 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. Let dough rise at room temperature until puffy and bubbly on top, about 1 hour. The dough will look thick, shiny, and slightly puffed.
• For step 3:
• Reattach clean dough hook. Add first 5 ingredients in step 3 to dough; beat until blended. 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.
• For step 4:
• Reattach clean dough hook. Mix water and yeast in small cup. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes; add to dough. 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. Add remaining 2 yolks, milk, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat at low speed until blended, about 3 minutes. Scrape down hook. 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. 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.
• For step 5:
• 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. 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. Roll each remaining dough piece into 11-inch-long log, slightly tapered at ends. 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. 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.
• For step 6 (Glaze and baking):
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F. Finely grind sugar and whole almonds in processor. Add egg whites and almond extract; blend 10 seconds. Peel plastic off dough in molds. Spoon half of almond glaze over top of each. Sprinkle each with sliced almonds. Sift powdered sugar over. Slide rimless baking sheet under molds; slide molds directly onto oven rack.
• 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.)
• Candied orange peel can be found in some specialty foods stores. Dove-shaped paper baking molds can be found at Sur La Table (800-243-0852) and some other cookware stores, or you can order the molds, along with fine-quality candied orange peel, from Emporio Rulli (888-887-8554).

NANA'S EASTER EGG BABIES, RICH EGG BREAD

Steps:

• Pour 1/2 cup warm water into a large mixing bowl. Add stirring to dissolve 2 packages yeast. Let set till bubbles form anywhere from 5-10 minutes depending on humidity and temperature of kitchen.
• Stir in milk, sugar, salt, eggs, butter and 4 cups of the flour. Mix with spoon until smooth. Mix in enough of the remaining flour to make dough easy to handle (not to sticky not too dry) do not add too much flour, sometimes we use all the flour and sometimes not dough should be sticky enough to handle but not overly sticky.
• Turn dough onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth and elastic about 5 minutes.
• Place in bowl lightly greased with oil, turn greased side up. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Punch down the dough, let rise again (should be less time to rise the second time about 30 -45 minutes ). After second rise divide dough into three egual pieces and shape into braids.
• To shape braids: roll each piece into a 24" long. Place on greased baking sheet and bend 24 inch long roll in half. On inside of long roll at center place one par boiled egg. Then braid the two ends two times and then place second par boiled egg and finish braid.
• Cover with plastic wrap and put in a warm spot to raise a third time, doubling again it should be about 20-30 minutes.
• Bake 20 -25 minutes at 375°F until golden brown and sound hollow when you tap the bottom of the bread. If bread starts to get to brown you can drap tin foil or a brown paper bag over the tops of them while they are baking. You can also make one large loaf and form it into a wreath.
• When braids come out of oven, brush with beaten egg and then rub with butter.
• Cool and enjoy! Take eggs out when slicing bread.