Braided Easter Bread

"A very special bread baked with a colored Easter Egg in the center; very attractive. This recipe calls for a flavoring called fior di Sicilia, which is orange flower water. I have not seen this in stores, but am assured it makes everything from cakes to frostings and cookies taste like a Creamsicle. Sounds yummy! I substitute vanilla and orange extract to equal about 1/4 teaspoon. Adapted from a recipe by Mary Ann Esposito (Ciao Italia)."
 
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Ready In:
3hrs 40mins
Ingredients:
13
Yields:
4 Easter Breads
Serves:
4
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ingredients

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directions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Dissolve yeast in warm water in a medium bowl. Allow to proof for about 5 minutes until bubbles appear on the surface of the water. Stir in the buttermilk, then beat in 3 of the eggs, one at a time. Add orange juice, zest, and fior di Sicilia (if available) or flavor extract(s). Set aside. The fourth egg is reserved for an egg wash on the finished braids.
  • In a bowl combine 4 1/2 cup flour, sugar, and salt. Break up the butter and add to dry ingredients. Work it in with your hands until mixture is crumbly. Add in the yeast mixture and continue mixing with your hands and form a ball of dough. Add additional flour, if needed, to obtain a dough that is soft but not too tacky. Dough could also be made in a stand mixer.
  • Turn dough out on floured work surface and knead for 3-4 minutes until smooth. Let dough rest for 10 minutes; cover with a clean kitchen towel or an inverted bowl. Knead again for about 5 minutes and no longer tacky.
  • Oil a large bowl lightly and place dough inside and turn to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
  • Once it has risen to double, punch it down and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Knead until it is smooth and not tacky.
  • Divide dough into 8 pieces. Roll each piece into a 16 inch rope. Form a braid by using 2 ropes, then bring the ends together to form a circle. Place braided ring on a parchment lined baking sheet allowing room for them to rise again (two per baking sheet).
  • Place an Easter Egg in the center of each braid and brush dough with the reserved beaten egg. Sprinkle dough with colored sugar. Cover and let rise 20 minutes.
  • Bake until golden brown, about 30-40 minutes. Cool on wire racks.

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<p><span>&nbsp;</span></p> <p>We may live without poetry, music and art;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>We may live without conscience and live without heart;</p> <p>We may live without friends; we may live without books,</p> <p>But civilized man cannot live without cooks.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>He may live without books -- what is knowledge but grieving?</p> <p>He may live without hope-- what is hope but deceiving?</p> <p>He may live without love -- what is passion but pining?</p> <p>But where is the man that can live without dining?</p> <p>-- Owen Meredith</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>I'm an all-American original, having lived in Hawaii, New York, Texas, South Carolina, and Miami. &nbsp;I also served 7 years in the US Army. &nbsp;My husband is from Bogota, Colombia and has also lived in the former Soviet Union. &nbsp;But now we are both in NY.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Tomasi enjoyes a bath!</p> <p><br /><a href=http://s845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/?action=view&amp;current=tomas.jpg target=_blank><img src=http://i845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/tomas.jpg border=0 alt=Photobucket /></a> <br />&nbsp;<br />Some of my recipes:</p> <p> <object width=480 height=360 data=http://w845.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/12cdcf0a.pbw type=application/x-shockwave-flash> <param name=data value=http://w845.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/12cdcf0a.pbw /> <param name=src value=http://w845.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/12cdcf0a.pbw /> <param name=wmode value=transparent /> </object> <a href=http://photobucket.com/slideshows target=_blank><img src=http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn.gif alt=/ /></a><a href=http://s845.photobucket.com/albums/ab15/luseaann/?action=view?t=12cdcf0a.pbw target=_blank><img src=http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn_viewallimages.gif alt=/ /></a> <br />&nbsp;<br />&nbsp;<br />I also have the genealogy bug!&nbsp; I've been tracing my roots for at least 10 years.&nbsp; One branch came to America just after the Mayflower in the early 1600s.&nbsp; Others came in the early 1700s, late 1890s.&nbsp; So, my American roots run pretty deep and I am deeply patriotic.&nbsp; Just wish someone had thought to same me some land!</p>
 
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