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Easter Bread Nests with apron and baking supplies
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Easter Bread Nests |Pane di Pasqua

Recipe for Easter Bread Nests, a fun way to serve bread and dyed eggs for the spring season. Braided whole wheat flour dough, topped with sesame seeds, then shaped around a hard boiled egg. This bread has a lovely texture, slight sweetness, and makes a great Easter centerpiece. Best eaten fresh and within a couple of days at room temperature or store in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Course Side Dish
Cuisine Italian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Proof Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 nests
Calories 356kcal
Author Jenn

Ingredients

Turmeric Dyed Eggs

  • 4-8 white eggs
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 Tbsp vinegar
  • 3 Tbsp Turmeric powder

Bread Dough

  • 1 ½ cups 360 grams warm almond milk
  • 4 ½ tsp 14 grams active dry yeast
  • 1 tbsp raw organic sugar
  • 4 cups whole wheat flour
  • 2 cups bread flour
  • 4 eggs lightly beaten
  • cup 133 grams raw organic sugar
  • 2 tsp 6 grams kosher salt
  • 1 cup 227 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Topping

  • 1 egg stirred with fork for egg wash
  • ¼ cup sesame seeds
  • 4 dyed eggs

Instructions

Dyed Eggs

  • Add 3 cups boiling water, 3 Tbsp vinegar, and 3 Tbsp Turmeric powder to a medium bowl. Gently place eggs into the dye with a spoon. Let sit for two hours or until they have a nice yellow coloring. Remove from dye and gently pat dry with towel. Refrigerate until time to bake with bread.

Bread Dough

  • Combine warm almond milk, 1 tbsp sugar and yeast in bowl of stand mixer. Let sit 5-10 min until foamy.
  • Stir together sifted wheat and bread flours into a medium bowl and set aside.
  • In a separate bowl whisk together butter, salt and remaining ⅔ cup of sugar.
  • Add sugar and butter to yeast mixture and blend on medium speed with paddle attachment.
  • Incorporate eggs until well combined.
  • Switch to dough hook attachment.
  • Slowly spoon flours into mixer bowl at medium speed.
  • Once a dough consistency is formed remove from stand mixer and place in a lightly oiled container, cover with plastic wrap and set in warm place for an hour, or until dough has doubled in size. (dough should not be sticky, if so add bread flour as needed)
  • Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 F.
  • Place dough on a lightly oiled surface.
  • Punch down excess air and divide dough into 12 pieces.
  • Take 3 pieces and roll into 12 inch strands.
  • Place the strands vertically in front of you and squeeze the tips together.
  • Braid the pieces until you reach the end. Curve the braid into a circle and pinch the two ends together, creating a wreath shape.
  • Transfer bird nest to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough.
  • Place a dyed egg in the center of each nest.
  • Cover baking trays with the four nests and let puff for an additional 30 min.
  • Brush egg wash across dough and into braided creases, avoiding eggs.
  • Sprinkle sesame seeds onto dough.
  • Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Thermometer inserted into thickest part of loaf should read 190 F.

Notes

Let cool 10-15 minutes before serving. Create different colored eggs with natural dye. Mashed blueberries for blue or beet juice for a soft pink.

Nutrition

Calories: 356kcal