italian easter bread

"Many classic Easter sweets hold a precious spot in my heart, but a favourite is a type of orange-scented, enriched bread called Treccia Dolce (or sweet braid)." - Silvia Colloca

Silvia Colloca's Treccia Dolce (Easter Braid)

bakers flour

soft butter, cubed

cinnamon

castor sugar

dry yeast

milk

1tbs honey

orange

(80 milliliters) of milk

tbs brown sugar

This Traditional Italian Easter Bread is a soft sweet brioche dough formed into wreaths or braided then topped with coloured eggs &amp; sprinkles.

Traditional Italian Easter Bread

+2 tablespoons all purpose flour

salt*

lemon

sugar

milk (I used 2 % milk)

active dry yeast

eggs (room temperature) ((slightly beaten))

butter (room temperature)

water

eggs

sprinkles* (if desired)

In the bowl of a stand up mixer whisk together the flour, salt, zest and sugar, make a well in the centre and add the milk and yeast, mix together with a fork. Then add the egg. With the dough hook attachment knead for approximately 1 minute just to combine.

Cover the bowl with plastic and let rise 2 hours, every 30 minutes fold both ends into the middle (repeating 4 times).

When the time has passed add the butter a little at a time, on medium high speed with the dough hook, knead just to combine all the butter, then let the dough rest 10 minutes. Knead again for 5-6 minutes until smooth and the dough does not stick to the sides of the bowl. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Move the dough to a lightly floured flat surface. Divide the dough into 4 parts. Roll each part into 2 ropes (10-12 inches / 25-30cm),  join 2 ropes at the top and twist the ends one over the other (see photo), join the ends to form a wreath (circle) repeat with the remaining ropes. Place the wreaths on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, cover and let rise in a warm draft free area for 1-2 hours or doubled in bulk.

15 minutes before rising time has finished pre heat oven to 390F (195C).

Add a dyed uncooked egg (if desired) to the centre of the wreath then brush the wreaths with the egg wash (be careful not to brush the eggs) and sprinkle with the sprinkles. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden, or when tapped on the bottom and there is a hollow sound. Immediately move the baked buns to a wire rack to cool. Let cool before serving. Enjoy!

BRIOCHE DOUGH

In a small bowl beat together the egg and water.

EGG WASH

Most loved and adored Traditional Italian Easter Bread made with Brioche Dough, Braided and topped with colorful Easter Egg and Rainbow Sprinklers is so easy to make. These sweet, soft and moist Italian Easter Bread is the perfect Easter Treat.

Italian Easter Bread

All Purpose Flour

Salt

Lemon

Luke Warm Milk

tbsp Granulated Sugar

Eggs (beaten (at room temp))

tbsp Active Dry Yeast

Butter (unsalted (at room temp))

Eggs (beaten)

Water

Eggs (dyed (uncooked))

Rainbow Sprinklers

MAKE THE BRIOCHE DOUGH: In a stand mixer filled with paddle attachment, add All Purpose Flour, Granulated Sugar, Salt and Lemon Zest. Beat until combined. Make a small well in the center. Pour Luke Warm Milk, Active Dry Yeast, &amp; Beaten Eggs in the center. Beat until combined for 1 minute. Cover the dough with plastic wrap or kitchen towel or plate. Place in a warm and moist place or in a heated oven for 2 hours and let the dough rise. After every 30 minutes, bring the edges together and knead again.

After 2 hours, add the butter and knead again for about 5 minutes or until the dough no longer sticks to the bowl or the hook. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Lightly flour the surface. Divide the Dough into 4 equal parts. Now, roll each part into two elongated cylinders for about 10-12 inches long. Join the ropes at the top and twist the ends, one over other until you reach the end to make braids. Now, simply join the ends to make a wreath (circular). Pinch at the top. Keep these wreaths carefully in a parchment paper or silicone mat lined baking dish. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and keep it in a warm oven for 2 hours or until the breads puff up and double in size.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375F. Combine Beaten Egg with Water to make Eggwash. Brush Eggwash over each Braided Bread. Top with Dyed and Uncooked Egg in the center. (Do not push in the egg in the center, just gently keep it on top. The Egg will sink into the Bread as it bakes). Sprinkle the rainbow colored sprinklers on top. Bake for 20 minutes or until the top gets golden brown in color.

Transfer the baked Braided Breads on a cooling wire rack. Serve as it cools down.

This no yeast Easter Bread is a traditional Calabrian recipe, make it the Italian way by adding eggs or a sweeter way by adding sprinkles.

Calabrese Easter Bread

all purpose flour

baking powder

salt

eggs (room temperature)

milk 2% or whole milk (room temperature)

vegetable oil

powdered/icing sugar

milk (2%

vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 350F (180C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

I made a little change to the recipe. I always remember this bread being very dry, so to give it a bit of moisture, although it is supposed to be on the dryer side since it is considered a dunking bread. Instead of 6 whole eggs, use 4 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks. I actually halved the recipe so I used 2 whole eggs and 1 egg yolk. You will also have to increase the flour by 2-4 tablespoons.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.

In a large bowl beat the eggs and sugar together, add the milk and combine, then add the vegetable oil and beat to combine. This can also be made in a stand mixer using the flat beaters.

Add the flour mixture to wet mixture, combine on low speed then increase to speed #2 to combine well.

Move the dough to a lightly floured flat surface and gently knead a couple of times to make a dough ball.

If you use a hand beater, the dough may be too stiff to beat, in that case add 3/4 of the dry ingredients and combine with a wooden spoon. Then move the dough mixture to a flat surface add the remaining flour and gently knead to form a smooth compact dough.

Shape the dough into the desired dough forms, such as a loaf or a braid. Place the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for approximately 40-60 minutes, until lightly golden brown, or until a toothpick comes out dry or with a few crumbs attached. If you find it browning too much and it isn&#39;t yet baked, then place a piece of foil over the bread (like a tent) and continue baking.

Cool five minutes on the baking sheet then move to a wire rack to cool completely. Cool completely before drizzling with the glaze.

BREAD DOUGH

In a medium bowl whisk together the powdered sugar and vanilla then slowly whisk in the milk, stirring continuously to make a smooth glaze. Pour over cooled cake.

VANILLA GLAZE

I have lost all of my recipes from my family which are Italian my grandmother was Cecilia my grandfather was Napoleon and my grandmother always made this bread I did make it today and it takes exactly like my grandmother and my mother used to make God bless you and thank you so much for this recipe I will be making it a lot

We LOVED this! I halved the recipe and it worked perfectly to make one large wreath for our Easter dinner table. This recipe is identical to my nonna's - with the minor exception that instead of the baking powder, she used the bertolini packets of baking powder with vanillin added in. I am living outside of the country now and cannot find the bertolini packets, so in order to replicate that flavour, I substituted one pkg of vanilla sugar (8 grams) for 8 grams of the regular sugar. I also used olive oil instead of vegetable oil. This is indeed a dry biscuit/cake type dough -similar to an S cookie perhaps - but it is absolutely wonderful for dipping into milk or coffee or tea or whatever you choose! My young kids (now 4 and 7) absolutely love this recipe - and they like helping to make it too :)

thank you for the recipe can I bake the bread in a loaf pan thank you

A delicious egg bread that is like a brioche but not quite as sweet or rich. It is good eaten any time and typically it is made for Easter morning.

Pinza Triestina

100 g Unbleached bread flour

16 g active dry yeast

300 g All-purpose flour

135 g butter

160 g sugar

egg egg

Orange zested

lemon zested

Tablespoons 20 g whole milk

For the dough starter, sift the flour in a bowl and whisk in the dried yeast. Pour in the water and knead briefly. The dough will be sticky. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until double in volume - about 1 to 2 hours.

Put the dough starter in the mixing bowl of a stand mixer then the whole egg, 2/3 cup (120 g) sugar and 1 1/2 cups (200 g) of the flour and begin to knead with the dough hook. As soon as the dough starts to collect on the hook add 1/4 cup (65 g) soft butter and continue to knead with the mixer. Knead the dough on a lightly floured work surface until smooth. Place in a vegetable oil sprayed plastic container and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for another two hours. Put the dough back into the mixer's bowl and add the egg yolks, the remaining 1/4 cup (40 g) of sugar, grated lemon and orange peel, the remaining 3/4 cup (100 g) of all-purpose flour and mix for another 7 to 10 minutes, long enough to knead the additional ingredients in. The dough will cleanly come off the sides of the bowl. Add the rest of the 1/3 cup (75 g) butter a little at a time. When it is incorporated transfer the dough on to a work surface and divide into two halves, about 400 grams each.

Form the dough into tight balls by smoothing the dough from the top of the dough down and rotating as you do this. Put these two tight balls on a baking tray lined with parchment paper then let the dough rise for 2 hours more. The dough will rise. With a knife cut a large cross into the dough. The four points on the cross will almost touch the tray. Do this quickly making sure you don't drag the dough while you cut it or go too far into the dough. You are basically scoring it. Brush the surface of both pizzas with the beaten egg yolk and milk.

Preheat oven to 350 F. check after 25 minutes; tent with aluminum foil if it appears to be browning too quickly. Bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes. The pinza should be a deep brown when done and it should read 195 F at the center using an instant read thermometer. (It's easy to undertake, since it browns so quickly) Remove from oven and let cool on rack.

To Bake

Great story Rita. I have been to Gorizia many times, it is a beautiful place. Especially the fortress on top of the hill. My father was from a small town (Meduno) in Friuli.

Thank you for posting this Marisa. I’m writing this as I wait for the second rise. I’m remembering my Nonna who made Pinza and Gubana every year. My mother used to dread those days she baked because flour would fly all over the kitchen and make a huge mess. They were from Gorizia near Trieste. My mother married my American father during the war and after they had kids sent for Nonna. She lived with us as I was growing up and I’m hoping your Pinza recipe is similar to hers. I think she put raisins in it - have you heard of that? Anyway, thanks again.

Best wishes,

Rita

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The most viewed italian easter bread recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine