ITALIAN EASTER BREAD 😋

ITALIAN EASTER BREAD 😋 

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/4 cup warm whole milk 
• 1 tbsp brown sugar 
• 2 1/2 tsp instant dry yeast 
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, soft 
• 2 eggs, large 
• 1/2 C granulated white sugar (standard) 
• 1/2 tsp salt 4 
• 1/2 – 5 cups all purpose wheat flour 
• 1 egg, large, to glaze 
• 6 colored eggs colored sparks 2 tablespoons milk or water, to decorate Icing or powdered sugar 

Preparation: 

1. In a small bowl, pour the warm milk, it should not be hot or cold. Add the brown sugar and mix with a spoon. Then add the yeast on the surface of the milk. Let rest for at least 8 minutes to start growing. 

2. In a large bowl, with a stand mixer, with the dough hook on. Add to this bowl the mixture of milk, butter, eggs, sugar, salt and 3 1/2 cups of the flour. Mix using a rubber spatula first and then start beating with the mixer. (All this can also be done by hand, mixing and starting to knead). 

3. Beat the mixture until everything is combined. Then add the rest of the flour until a dough forms. Now, the dough is going to be very sticky, but you have to try to avoid adding too much flour, the key is to keep kneading, even when it seems that it is going nowhere. You have to knead for 4 to 5 minutes, this can be done with the mixer or by hand. The mass will have little by little more and more shape

4. Place the dough in another bowl, with a little vegetable oil, and cover with kitchen plastic or a kitchen towel, and let it rest in a dark and slightly warm place, to make the dough rise and double its size. size, about 1 hour. 

5. Then, put the dough on the kitchen counter or a clean surface with a little flour. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside until needed. 

6. Divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces. Extend each piece of dough into strips approximately 35 cm long and 2 cm wide each. Use a little flour to do this if necessary. 

7. Take 2 strips of dough or "strings" and join them together from the top, and start rolling one over the other, as if it were a braid of two, and finish joining the end of both strips by pressing them together. Now, form a circle with the dough braid, and join the ends of the braid to close the circle, leaving a space in the middle to put an egg. Transfer each braid circle to the baking tray and place the painted egg in the center of the circle. 

8. Do this with all the pieces of dough, making 6 circles or crowns with an egg in the center. Cover the crowns with a kitchen towel and put back in a dark place to grow for 30 minutes. 

9. While the bread rests, preheat the oven to 180º C. 

10. When the dough has rested, beat the egg and use to glaze the dough crowns, avoiding putting the beaten egg on top of the colored eggs.

11. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until bread is golden brown and cooked through. Remove from oven and allow to cool before serving. Make the glaze by mixing the milk or water with the powdered sugar until the desired texture is obtained. Glaze the crowns and decorate with colored sprinkles. 

12. Bread lasts 3 days, wrapped in kitchen plastic at room temperature. Remove the eggs from the bread before eating while eating, and eat the eggs in any way you prefer.