Italian Easter Bread

Serves: 6

Estell Schumm

1 January 1970

Based on User reviews:

51

Spice

52

Sweetness

48

Sourness

37 mins

Prep time (avg)

5.4

Difficulty

Ingredients:

1 cup

Water (cool)

1 cup

Sugar

1.5 tsps

Dry Yeast

1 cup

All-Purpose Flour (about)

4 large

Egg Yolk

1 cup

Unsalted Butter (2 sticks, room temperature very soft, cut into 12 pieces)

3 tbsps

Whole Milk (lukewarm)

1 tbsp

Honey

2 tsps

Vanilla Extract

1.5 tsps

Fine Sea Salt

1.5 cups

Candied Orange Peel (chopped * about 10 ounces)

3 large

Egg White

1 tsp

Almond Extract

1.333333 cups

Almond (sliced)

1

Powdered Sugar

Directions:

1

For step 1 (Making starter): Combine water and sugar in bowl of heavy-duty mixer

2

Stir in yeast

3

Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes

4

Using rubber spatula, mix in flour (dough will be firm)

5

Cover bowl with plastic wrap

6

Let starter rise until puffy, about 45 minutes

7

(Initially, the starter, or biga is firm and compact, but it softens and becomes puffy and spongy after rising

8

) Combine water and sugar in bowl of heavy-duty mixer

9

Stir in yeast

10

Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes

11

Using rubber spatula, mix in flour (dough will be firm)

12

Cover bowl with plastic wrap

13

Let starter rise until puffy, about 45 minutes

14

(Initially, the starter, or biga is firm and compact, but it softens and becomes puffy and spongy after rising

15

) For step 2: Attach dough hook to mixer

16

Add all ingredients in step 2 to starter

17

Beat until blended, scraping down sides of bowl often, about 5 minutes (dough will be soft and thick)

18

Scrape dough off hook; remove hook

19

Cover bowl with plastic

20

Let dough rise at room temperature until puffy and bubbly on top, about 1 hour

21

The dough will look thick, shiny, and slightly puffed

22

Attach dough hook to mixer

23

Add all ingredients in step 2 to starter

24

Beat until blended, scraping down sides of bowl often, about 5 minutes (dough will be soft and thick)

25

Scrape dough off hook; remove hook

26

Cover bowl with plastic

27

Let dough rise at room temperature until puffy and bubbly on top, about 1 hour

28

The dough will look thick, shiny, and slightly puffed

29

For step 3: Reattach clean dough hook

30

Add first 5 ingredients in step 3 to dough; beat until blended

31

Add flour

32

Beat at low speed until smooth, scraping down bowl and hook often, about 5 minutes (dough will be firm and compact)

33

Scrape dough off hook; remove hook

34

Cover bowl with plastic; let dough rise at room temperature until lighter in texture and slightly puffed, about 3 1/2 hours

35

The dough will double in volume and become lighter in texture but less glossy

36

Reattach clean dough hook

37

Add first 5 ingredients in step 3 to dough; beat until blended

38

Add flour

39

Beat at low speed until smooth, scraping down bowl and hook often, about 5 minutes (dough will be firm and compact)

40

Scrape dough off hook; remove hook

41

Cover bowl with plastic; let dough rise at room temperature until lighter in texture and slightly puffed, about 3 1/2 hours

42

The dough will double in volume and become lighter in texture but less glossy

43

For step 4: Reattach clean dough hook

44

Mix water and yeast in small cup

45

Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes; add to dough

46

Add 1 1/3 cups flour, half of butter, sugar, and 2 yolks; beat until dough is smooth, about 3 minutes

47

Scrape down dough hook and sides of bowl

48

Add remaining 2 yolks, milk, vanilla extract, and salt

49

Beat at low speed until blended, about 3 minutes

50

Scrape down hook

51

Add remaining 2/3 cup flour, remaining butter, and orange peel

52

Beat dough until well blended, about 5 minutes

53

Scrape dough into very large (at least 4-quart) buttered bowl

54

Cover with plastic

55

Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled and indentation remains when 2 fingers are pressed about 1/4 inch into dough, 8 to 10 hours

56

Reattach clean dough hook

57

Mix water and yeast in small cup

58

Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes; add to dough

59

Add 1 1/3 cups flour, half of butter, sugar, and 2 yolks; beat until dough is smooth, about 3 minutes

60

Scrape down dough hook and sides of bowl

61

Add remaining 2 yolks, milk, vanilla extract, and salt

62

Beat at low speed until blended, about 3 minutes

63

Scrape down hook

64

Add remaining 2/3 cup flour, remaining butter, and orange peel

65

Beat dough until well blended, about 5 minutes

66

Scrape dough into very large (at least 4-quart) buttered bowl

67

Cover with plastic

68

Let dough rise at room temperature until doubled and indentation remains when 2 fingers are pressed about 1/4 inch into dough, 8 to 10 hours

69

For step 5: Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour onto work surface

70

Scrape dough out onto floured work surface (dough will be soft and sticky)

71

Gently toss dough in flour until easy to handle

72

Brush away excess flour

73

Divide dough into 3 equal pieces

74

Divide 1 piece in half; shape each half into 10-inch-long log

75

Arrange 1 log crosswise in each paper baking mold, curving ends to fit

76

Roll each remaining dough piece into 11-inch-long log, slightly tapered at ends

77

Place 1 log across dough in each mold

78

(If using 2 springform pans, divide dough in half; place half in each prepared pan)

79

Cover molds (or pans) with plastic

80

Let stand at room temperature until dough rises to top of each mold and indentation remains when 2 fingers are pressed about 1/4 inch into dough, about 3 1/4 hours

81

Sprinkle 1/2 cup flour onto work surface

82

Scrape dough out onto floured work surface (dough will be soft and sticky)

83

Gently toss dough in flour until easy to handle

84

Brush away excess flour

85

Divide dough into 3 equal pieces

86

Divide 1 piece in half; shape each half into 10-inch-long log

87

Arrange 1 log crosswise in each paper baking mold, curving ends to fit

88

Roll each remaining dough piece into 11-inch-long log, slightly tapered at ends

89

Place 1 log across dough in each mold

90

(If using 2 springform pans, divide dough in half; place half in each prepared pan)

91

Cover molds (or pans) with plastic

92

Let stand at room temperature until dough rises to top of each mold and indentation remains when 2 fingers are pressed about 1/4 inch into dough, about 3 1/4 hours

93

For step 6 (Glaze and baking): Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F

94

Finely grind sugar and whole almonds in processor

95

Add egg whites and almond extract; blend 10 seconds

96

Peel plastic off dough in molds

97

Spoon half of almond glaze over top of each

98

Sprinkle each with sliced almonds

99

Sift powdered sugar over

100

Slide rimless baking sheet under molds; slide molds directly onto oven rack

101

Bake breads until brown on top and slender wooden skewer inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes

102

Cool breads completely on rack

103

(Can be made ahead

104

Wrap; let stand at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 week

105

) Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 375°F

106

Finely grind sugar and whole almonds in processor

107

Add egg whites and almond extract; blend 10 seconds

108

Peel plastic off dough in molds

109

Spoon half of almond glaze over top of each

110

Sprinkle each with sliced almonds

111

Sift powdered sugar over

112

Slide rimless baking sheet under molds; slide molds directly onto oven rack

113

Bake breads until brown on top and slender wooden skewer inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes

114

Cool breads completely on rack

115

(Can be made ahead

116

Wrap; let stand at room temperature up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 week

117

) Candied orange peel can be found in some specialty foods stores

118

Dove-shaped paper baking molds can be found at Sur La Table (800-243-0852) and some other cookware stores, or you can order the molds, along with fine-quality candied orange peel, from Emporio Rulli (888-887-8554)