Grandma Lus Italian Easter Bread Recipes

CLASSIC ITALIAN EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• In a saucepan, add the 1-1/4 cup milk and butter and heat just until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat.
• in a large bowl, place the 2 eggs, sugar, lemon rind and vanilla. Beat for several minutes.
• Slowly pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture constantly beating until everything is incorporated.
• Add the yeast to the mixture and beat until blended.
• Mix in the flour a 1/2 cup at a time beating continuously, stop once all of the flour is mixed inches.
• Lightly flour the counter then place the dough on it and knead the dough for several minutes. Place the dough in a large bowl and cover the bowl with plastic and a large towel. Let rise until doubled in size, around an hour.
• Turn the raised dough onto a lightly floured surface and cut into four pieces. Knead each piece for a minute, then roll into long cylinders. Loosely twist two cylinders together then form into a circle, pressing the ends together.
• Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Place a ring on each tray, then cover and let rise again for about an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350F degrees.
• Mix the egg wash by beating an egg and water together, then brush over entire ring. Sprinkle the top with the coloured sprinkles, then place a dyed egg in the centre.
• Bake for approximatsly 20 minutes or until the bread has a nice golden colour.
• **If you prefer smaller rings, adjust the cooking time. Also, plain non-dyed eggs can be used.

GRANDMA NARDI'S ITALIAN EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Place 3 eggs in a single layer in a small saucepan; add enough cold water to cover by 1 in. Cover and quickly bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Let stand 15 minutes., Rinse eggs in cold water and place in ice water until completely cooled. Drain; dye hard-boiled eggs with food coloring, following package directions. Let stand until completely dry., In bread machine pan, place the first 7 bread ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select dough setting. Check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1-2 tablespoons additional milk or flour if needed., When cycle is completed, turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Punch down dough; divide into thirds. Roll each into a 15-in. rope. Place ropes on a greased baking sheet and braid. Shape into a ring. Pinch ends to seal. Lightly coat dyed eggs with oil; arrange on braid, tucking them carefully between ropes. For egg wash, whisk egg with water. Brush over dough; sprinkle with sesame seeds., Cover with a kitchen towel; let rise in a warm place until almost doubled, about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°., Bake until golden brown, 30-35 minutes. Remove from pan to a wire rack to cool. Refrigerate leftovers.

GRANDMA ROSE'S ITALIAN EASTER BREAD 1947

Steps:

• Scald whole milk and let cool, add in the yeast.
• Beat eggs, and juice, and zest.
• Beat sugar and butter until fluffy continue to beat well.
• Add the beaten egg mixture into the beaten sugar butter mixture.
• Combine with the cooled scaled milk , and yeast mixture.
• Combine well, add sifted flour, continue adding flour until a soft dough comes together.
• Turn out onto a table and knead until soft, not too sticky, 5- 10 minutes.
• Let double in a greased bowl, covered.
• Punch down and let rise again.
• Form into braids after second rising, or put into loaf pans.
• Let rise until almost doubled Bake 350 degrees, until golden, 20 minutes approximately.
• Note; the amount of flour can be anything from 8- 12 cups, or more. but add gradually until you have a soft slightly sticky dough -- where when touched your finger comes away tacky but not sticking to the bread board.Keep your dough soft not firm --.
• All depends on flour and humidity and how much juice from your oranges and lemons.
• Can braid and place under braiding but showing raw eggs white or already coloured, eggs will cook while baking, for an Easter morning delight.
• Directions on making the dough, can vary, as I have done the procedure in different ways, and now we can't get fresh compressed yeast in our stores, so I use active dry yeast, usually 2 tablespoons.

GRANDMA'S EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Combine 5 cups flour, 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, Romano cheese, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl; stir well and set aside.
• Stir warm water and yeast together in a small bowl. Set aside until dissolved and bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes.
• Zest and juice orange into a large bowl. Stir in melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined. Stir in yeast mixture. Add flour mixture gradually, stirring as you go.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, adding up to 1 extra cup of flour as needed to keep dough manageable. Transfer to an oiled bowl, cover, and let rise until almost doubled in size, about 30 to 60 minutes.
• Punch dough down, cover and let rise again until almost doubled in size, 30 to 60 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Grease two 8-inch round loaf pans.
• Cut dough into 2 equal pieces and shape into loaves. Place in the prepared pans, cover, and let rise again until almost doubled in size, 30 to 60 minutes.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 70 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cook on a wire rack.

GRANDMA LU'S ITALIAN EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Soak orange and lemon rinds with the whisky in a glass jar with lid (or airtight container) and refrigerate the night before preparing bread.
• To prepare bread: Add yeast into 3/4 cup of warm water, and let stand several minutes until foamy. Melt shortening in large pot over low heat. Turn off heat, and add to shortening, stirring in with wooden spoon, sugar, yeast, eggs and orange extract. Then, mix in flour, salt and orange/lemon mixture, kneading together in pot until dough pulls away from sides and forms a ball. Remove from pot, and continue to knead on floured surface until dough is elastic, if too sticky, add additional flour until right consistency. Transfer dough back to pot and cover with kitchen towels and store in a warm place at least 5 hours or overnight until dough doubles in size.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a large bundt pan with baking spray. Remove dough from pot, and knead slightly on floured surface. Transfer to prepared pan, and bake for approximately 45 minutes, or until golden brown, and when toothpick inserted, comes out clean.
• Remove from oven, and cool in pan about 20 minutes. Invert onto serving plate. Using a hand mixer, beat egg whites with 1/4 cup sugar until peaks form. Spread on top of bread and garnish with colored sprinkles.