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The so-called Easter bread is a classic, sweet yeast bread in the shape of a plait. In many countries and families, including us (unless there are hot cross buns), it is an integral part of breakfast on Easter Sunday.
The Easter bread is usually a braided wreath or a braided plait, which is sprinkled with coarse or icing sugar.
Easter bread: The ultimate guide
For many people, making yeast pastries is a bit of a challenge. But it’s so easy if you pay attention to a few things and follow some rules:
- If you work with fresh yeast, you cannot avoid a pre-dough. To make this, put some flour in a bowl and make a small hollow in the middle. Crumble in the fresh yeast and mix with lukewarm (not hot milk – it destroys the yeast) and some sugar. Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. Then the dough can be processed further as in the recipe.
- I recommend the use of dry yeast for beginners. It is sure to succeed and also saves you the pre-dough.
- Yeast dough would like to be kneaded nicely. A good average is 10 minutes of gentle kneading. Tip: fold the dough over and over again with gentle pressure. So it becomes nice and supple. Avoid tearing the dough apart.
- Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes after kneading or shaping.
Easter bread: The ultimate and sure-fire recipe
Ingredients (makes 1 Easter Bread):
- 500 g flour;
- 1 pack of dry yeast or fresh yeast;
- 1/2 tsp baking powder;
- 1 organic egg;
- 50 grams of sugar;
- Lemon zest from 1 organic lemon;
- 1 pinch of salt;
- 200 ml milk, lukewarm;
- 50 g butter, melted and cooled;
- 1 organic egg yolk + 2 tablespoons of me to brush
- Icing sugar
- Optional: dried raisins, apricots or cranberries
Instructions:
- In a large enough bowl, mix the flour, dry yeast, baking powder, salt, sugar and lemon zest together.
- Whisk the eggs with the lukewarm milk and melted butter. Make sure that the milk and butter are not too warm, otherwise the eggs could freeze.
- Add the egg-milk-butter mixture to the dry ingredients and knead into a dough.
- Cover and let the dough rise in a warm place for at least 45 to 60 minutes. Tip: The dough can also be prepared the day before. After walking, you can put it well packaged in the refrigerator and process it as usual the next day.
- After the rising time, knead the dough until a smooth, supple dough is formed. Tip: You can tell whether the dough has been kneaded well enough by the smooth surface.
- If you want, you can work raisins, cranberries or other dried fruits into the dough.
- Preheat the oven to 160 ° C top / bottom heat.
- For the typical shape of Easter bread, divide the dough into three equal parts and form even sausages from them.
- Make a braid out of the sausages. Make sure that you knead both the beginning and the end of the braid well.
- When you’ve braided your Easter bread and shaped it, let it rise for another 20 minutes.
- Tip: Put the Easter braid in a greased baking dish for baking. This way, the Easter bread keeps its shape.
- Whisk the egg yolk with a little milk and brush the yeast plait with it before baking and in between.
- Bake the Easter bread for about 30 to 40 minutes until it is golden yellow.
- When the Easter bread has cooled down, sprinkle with some icing sugar.
Tip: The yeast plait can also be frozen excellently.
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Ingredients
Method
- In einer ausreichend großen Schüssel Mehl, Trockenhefe, Backpulver, Salz, Zucker und Zitronenzesten miteinander vermengen.
- Die Eier mit der lauwarmen Milch und geschmolzenen Butter verquirlen. Achtet darauf, dass Milch und Butter nicht zu warm sind, da die Eier ansonsten stocken könnten.
- Die Ei-Milch-Butter-Mischung zu den trockenen Zutaten hinzufügen und zu einem Teig verkneten.
- Den Teig zugedeckt an einem warmen Ort für mindesten 45 bis 60 Minuten (oder bis sich der Teig verdoppelt hat) gehen lassen. Tipp: Der Teig kann auch am Vortag vorbereitet werden. Nach der Gehzeit könnt ihr ihn gut verpackt in den Kühlschrank geben und am nächsten Tag wie gewohnt weiterverarbeiten.
- Nach der Gehzeit den Teig solange kneten bis ein glatter, geschmeidiger Teig entsteht. Tipp: Ob der Teig gut genug durchgeknetet ist, erkennt ihr an der glatten Oberfläche.
- Wer möchte kann Rosinen, Cranberries oder andere Trockenfrüchte in den Teig einarbeiten.
- Den Ofen auf 160°C Ober-/ Unterhitze vorheizen.
- Für die typische Form des Osterbrotes den Teig in drei gleich große Teile teilen und gleichmäßige Würste daraus formen.
- Aus den Würsten einen Zopf flechten. Achtet darauf, dass ihr sowohl den Anfang sowie das Ende des Zopfes gut miteinander verknetet.
- Wenn ihr euer Osterbrot geflochten und in Form gebracht habt, lasst es für weitere 20 Minuten gehen.
- Tipp: Den Osterzopf zum Backen in eine eingefettete Auflaufform geben. So behält das Osterbrot eine gleichmäßige Form.
- Das Eigelb mit etwas Milch verquirlen und den Hefezopf damit vor dem Backen und zwischendurch bestreichen.
- Das Osterbrot für circa 30 bis 40 Minuten backen, bis er goldgelb ist.
- Wenn das Osterbrot ausgekühlt ist, mit etwas Puderzucker bestreuen.