Description
Celebrate with this beautiful sweet bread that features colorful dyed eggs, perfect for special occasions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 1/2 cups warm whole milk
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 4 large eggs (lightly beaten)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 8 3/4 cups all purpose flour (divided)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 3 cups boiling water
- 1/2 teaspoon food coloring (blue and pink)
- 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon whole milk
- 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds (optional)
- mixer
- cookie sheet
- digital thermometer
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine warm milk and yeast. Let the mixture stand until it’s foamy, about 10 minutes.
- With the mixer at medium speed, beat in eggs, sugar, and salt into yeast mixture until combined. With mixer on low speed add 4 cups flour, beating until combined. Add butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until combined. Transfer dough to a large bowl, and stir in 4 cups flour with a spatula or wooden spoon until combined.
- Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 minutes. Add remaining 3/4 cup of flour as needed.
- Spray a large bowl with cooking spray. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Loosely cover and let rise in a warm, draft free place until doubled in size, about an hour.
- While the dough is rising, prepare your dyed eggs. If making a large wreath, there is no need to hard boil your eggs. If making the individual twists, you will need to hard boil them first before dying.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 cups boiling water and food coloring. Stir in vinegar. Gently lower eggs into water mixture until desired color is reached, about 1 minute. Let dry completely on a prepared rack and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Punch down the sweet bread dough. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. On a lightly floured surface, turn out dough.
- For wreath: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope about 26 inches long. Place strands vertically in front of you. Pinch 3 ends together at top. Braid ropes together until you’ve reached end of strands. Join two ends together forming a circle, pinching ends to seal.
- Transfer to a prepared pan. Gently tuck 5 dyed eggs between strands of dough. Cover and let stand in a warm draft free place until puffed, about 30 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together milk and remaining egg. Brush dough with egg wash, avoiding eggs.
- Bake until golden brown and an instant read thermometer inserted in the center registers 190°F, 30 to 35 minutes.
- For individual twists: Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
- Divide dough into 8 equal pieces. Divide each piece in half. Roll each piece into a rope about 12 inches long. Place 2 strands vertically in front of you. Pinch ends together at top. Twist 2 pieces together until you’ve reached the ends of the strands. Join two ends together forming a circle, pinching ends to seal. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Place 1 dyed egg in center of each circle. Cover and let stand in a warm draft free place until puffed about 30 minutes.
- In a small bowl, whisk together milk and remaining egg. Brush dough with egg wash, avoiding eggs. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
- Bake until golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 190°F, 20 to 25 minutes.
Notes
- This bread can be made ahead of time and frozen for later use.
- Use different food coloring to create a variety of colored eggs.
- Prep Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Breads
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 piece
- Calories: 300
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 80mg