Easter egg bread is a braided bread with eggs stuffed into the braids, traditionally made in a ring shape with dyed eggs, originating from Greece. Raw eggs are used and cooked with the bread, and a recipe is provided.
Easter egg bread is a type of braided bread that is made with eggs stuffed into braids. Traditionally, Easter egg bread is made in the shape of a ring, and the eggs are typically dyed in festive Easter colors. The base of the bread is usually challah-like, and is rich, fluffy, and designed to be easily disassembled. You can find Easter egg bread in some bakeries around the Easter season, and it can also be made at home.
This traditional food is of Greek origin. In Greece, families have made and traded Easter egg bread during Orthodox Easter celebrations for centuries. Traditionally, eggs are dyed red, to symbolize Christ’s blood and rebirth. People outside of Greece often use pastel-dyed eggs because these colors are closely associated with Easter, especially in the United States.
To make Easter egg bread, cooks prepare their favorite recipe with egg or milk bread and allow it to rise. After the dough has risen, it is punched and divided into pieces which can be rolled into braids for braiding. Many people like to make a simple three-strand braided bread, although other patterns are possible. The bread is braided into a ring, with the eggs stuffed into pockets of the braid, and is allowed to rise before being brushed with an egg-milk mixture and then baked. Some cooks also like to sprinkle the seeds on the bread after icing, to get more texture and flavor in the finished Easter egg bread.
Most cooks use raw eggs in their Easter egg bread, because the eggs cook together with the bread. As the bread rises, it creates a protective pocket that holds and insulates each egg from the direct heat of the oven. Because of the risk of salmonella from eggshells, it’s a good idea to wash the eggs well before braiding them into the braid. Cooks who want to dye eggs can dip them in vinegar and food coloring and then pat them dry before adding them to bread. For cooks concerned about exploding eggs, a small hole can be created in each shell to allow steam to release steam as it is cooked, although this is not vitally important.
For a traditional Greek Easter bread, scald 1 cup (237 mL) milk and add to a large bowl with 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter, cut into chunks. Whisk the milk until the butter is melted before adding 2 packages (0.5 oz or 14 g) yeast and 1 cup (225 g) sugar. Let the mixture rest briefly, then add three large eggs, 1 teaspoon (5 g) of salt, 1 teaspoon (5 g) of cardamom and 1 teaspoon (5 g) of lemon zest. Slowly whisk up to 6 cups (660 g) of unbleached white flour to form a dough, then knead the dough for 20 minutes or until elastic. Let the dough rise until doubled in bulk, punch and braid/frost it as above, then let it rise for another 30 minutes before baking in a 350 degree Fahrenheit (176 degree Celsius) oven until golden brown .
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