Easter Bread

Mom made this at Easter every year.

2 - 2 1/2 C. flour
1 pkg. yeast
1/4 C each: milk, water, sugar
2 T. oil
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
4 raw eggs in shells (I color these)
1 additional egg
approx 1 T. milk
candy nonpareils

Blend 1 C. of the flour and yeast in large bowl of electric mixer. Heat milk, water, sugar, oil and salt in medium saucepan on low heat until very warm, 120-130 degrees. Stir until blended. Add to flour-yeast mixture. Beat until smooth, about 2 minutes on medium speed. (I use the paddle.) Blend in the 2 eggs. Beat 2 minutes on low speed. Add 1/2 C. flour. Beat 1 minute on low speed. Stir in more flour (approx. 1 C.) to make a moderately stiff dough. (At this point I switch to the dough hook.)

Turn out onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth, about 10 minutes. Cover with bowl and let rest 1 hour. Shape into ball. From it remove a smaller ball, about 3-in. diameter. Divide the large ball into thirds and shape each third into a 24-in. strip. Braid the 3 strips together loosely and place in greased 8-in. cake pan. Tuck ends together to form one continuous braid. Divide small ball into eighths and shape each eighth into a 6-in. strip. Wrap each of the 4 eggs with two strips of dough, forming a cross. Tuck into the braid. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 2 hours.

Bake at 350. While baking, mix additional egg with 1 T. milk. After the bread has baked for 20 minutes, brush the egg-milk mixture on the top of the loaf and sprinkle with the candies. Bake an additional 10-15 minutes, until golden brown. Remove loaf from pan and cool on a wire rack.


Here we have Bim's Easter Bread for 2010. There's also another recipe here http://scavonefamilycookbook.blogspot.com/2008/11/easter-bread.html. Not sure if they are the same?