Easter Breads Bring Tasteful Addition to Holiday Table

Setting the Easter table is always a challenge when looking for something new to add to the menu that doesn’t compromise tradition. It’s a dilemma home cooks ponder each Easter, wondering what can to do beyond the spiral-sliced ham, colored eggs and a lamb shaped cake.

This year consider baking one of three Easter specialties, Hot Cross buns, rabbit-shaped Easter Bunny bread and orange flavored Easter Egg Nest.

The Easter Egg Nest and Hot Cross Buns are among the first specialty breads I learned to bake when working as a test home baker for Fleishmann’s new Rapid Rise Yeast back in the 1980s. Each recipe is based on traditional recipes that were revamped for instant yeast, which cut the baking process by almost a third. As a result these two sweetened breads are easy, take less time and are perfect for young bakers in your household to try with adult supervision.

Created by Four Seasons Executive Chef Fabrizio Schenardi for his lavish Easter buffets, Easter Bunny Bread is destine to reshape countless Easter menus as a must-have menu addition. Unlike the usual sweet bread, this is a dinner bread - shaped as a large loaf sized rabbit or into smaller roll-sized bunnies. It’s another winning bread recipe that’s perfect to make with your kids who have become bored coloring eggs.

Holiday breads, no matter the season, adds the wow effect to your menu while delivering a tasteful accompaniment to the meal. Try adding one of the following Easter breads to your springtime table. Each recipe takes about two hours or less to complete from start to finish.

Easter Bunny Bread

(Recipe From Fabrizio Schenardi, Executive Chef Four Seasons -St. Louis)

• 4 1/2 cups bread flour
• 2 tablespoons instant bread machine yeast
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cups warm water or milk
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Whole black olives (to make rabbit’s eyes)

Place one cup of flour into a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle in yeast, salt and sugar. Stir in warm water or milk. When well blended, stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff dough. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and knead dough lightly until smooth. Place back into the bowl, cover and allow to rise until doubled. Punch down and divide dough into four pieces.

Take each piece of dough and divide into two pieces - one slighter larger than the other. Shape the larger piece into a rope and twist into a single spiral knot that will form the bunny's legs and body. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Shape the smaller piece into an elongated oval and place on top of the first piece of dough and towards the front that’s’ been placed on the baking sheet. This will be the bunny's head and ears. Cut through the oval and separate to create rabbit ears.

Repeat with remaining dough. Push an olive into the dough to make each rabbit’s eye. Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes. Brush each "bunny" with olive oil or an egg wash (an egg beaten with 1 tablespoon of water) and bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and until internal temperature reaches 190 degrees. Remove and cool on racks.

Optional: Serve with honey butter, made by whipping a stick of unsalted butter with 1-2 tablespoons of honey. Makes 4 bread bunny rabbits.

Easter Egg Nest

(Recipe courtesy Fleishmann’s Yeast)

• 3 1/2 –4 cups flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 packages Fleishmann’s Rapid Rise Yeast
• 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter
• 9 eggs
• 1/2 cup chopped almond, toasted
• Water food coloring
• Orange icing

In a large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, orange peel and salt. Combine the water, milk and butter and heat until very warm - 125 degrees. Stir liquid mixture into a flour/yeast mixture. Stir until smooth, then add in almonds, one egg and remaining flour to make a soft dough. Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rest on floured surface for 10 minutes.  

Divide dough in half and roll each into long ropes. Loosely twist ropes together and place on a large parchment lined baking sheet; shape into a circle and pinch ends together to seal. Place seven clean eggs, evenly spaced between the dough ropes. Cover, let rise until doubled. Beat the remaining egg with a tablespoon of water, brush over dough (not the eggs).

Bake at 350 degrees for 30–35 minutes or until golden brown and dough is done (190 degrees internal temperature). Remove from oven and place on a rack to cool. Brush eggs with food coloring. (Eggs can also be dyed before baking). Drizzle with icing and serve promptly.

Refrigerate any leftover eggs. Makes 1 large sweet bread. 

Orange Icing: Mix together 1 cup powdered sugar 1-2 tablespoons orange juice. Stir until smooth and drizzle over top of Easter Egg Bread

Hot Cross Buns

(Recipe Suzanne Corbett)

• 1 tablespoon instant yeast
• 1 1/2 cups warm milk (125 degrees)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 1/2– 4 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter, soften
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten 

Frosting:

• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar

In a small mixing bowl combine yeast with 1/2 cup milk and 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Let stand for a few minutes until it becomes foamy. Place remaining milk, sugar and 1 cup of flour into a large mixing bowl. Add in salt, spices, butter, eggs, vanilla and raisins. Stir in enough flour to make a stiff dough.

Knead on a lightly floured surface to make a smooth dough. Place in a clean bowl that has been sprayed with oil. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Punch down and divide into 14–18 pieces. Shape each into a smooth ball. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, brush with beaten egg white and let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 375 for 15-18 minutes. Buns are done when they’re golden brown and sound hollow when tapped on bottom. Remove from the oven and cool on racks. Ice, making a cross on top of each bun when cool.

To ice: Mix all frosting ingredients together. If frosting is too thick, thin with a few drops of water. If frosting is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar. Place frosting in a small zip-lock bag. Cut off a small piece of the corner of the bag and use to pipe two lines of frosting to form a cross on top of each bun. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen buns.