Traditional Italian Easter Bread
This Traditional Italian Easter Bread is a soft sweet brioche dough formed into wreaths or braided. Coloured eggs are baked into the bread and the bread is sprinkled with lots of nonpareils. Festive and bright for the Easter Holiday.
Another very popular yeast bread is a recipe called Casatiello Napoletano which is a savory stuffed bread.
I absolutely love Brioche Bread and of course this Sweet Soft Bread is a must in any Italian home on Easter. I wanted to find a true Traditional Italian Recipe and I came upon this recipe Brioche di Pasqua from a fellow Food Blogger, Chiara from Chiarapassion.com.
How to make An italian easter bread
In the bowl of a stand up mixer whisk together the flour, salt, zest and sugar, make a well in the centre and add the milk and yeast, mix together with a fork.
Then add the egg. With the dough hook attachment knead just to combine. Cover the bowl with plastic and let rise in a warm draft free area.
Fold both ends into the middle, repeating 4 times.
When the time has passed add the butter a little at a time at medium high speed with the dough hook, knead to just combine all the butter, then let the dough rest. Knead again until the dough is smooth and does not stick to the sides of the bowl.
Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic and refrigerate.
Move the dough to a lightly floured flat surface. Divide the dough into 4 parts. Roll each part into 2 ropes, join the 2 ropes at the top.
Twist the ends one over the other join the ends to form a wreath (circle) repeat with the remaining ropes. Place the wreaths on the prepared cookie sheet, cover and let rise in a warm draft free area until doubled in bulk.
Before baking an uncooked dyed egg can be placed in the dough, then the dough is brushed with a simple egg wash and covered in sprinkles (nonpareils) and baked.
Immediately move the baked bread to a wire rack to cool.
How to know if the dough is proofed perfectly
Proof your dough with the “poke test”. With a fully proofed dough, you should be able to poke it and leave an indent that slowly starts to fill back in but doesn’t spring back completely.
If your dough is under-proofed, it will spring back almost immediately, if your dough is over-proofed it will not spring back at all.
Tips on making the best Easter Bread
- This Italian Easter Bread is a yeast bread which means you need time and patience. It’s not difficult just time consuming but absolutely worth it.
- This dough needs to rise 3x, the first time the dough (without the butter added) is placed in a bowl for 2 hours. Every 30 minutes the dough needs to be folded over.
- The second rise is done once the butter has been added to the dough and then refrigerated for 1-2 hours.
- Believe me they are worth every minute of your time!
This bread is very popular all over Italy. Sometimes I like to make an Easter Bread from the South of Italy, it is a much drier bread and is used as a dunking bread in your morning caffe latte or afternoon espresso or this Easter Sweet bread from the North of Italy. But the most popular Easter Bread which is called Colomba or Dove Bread is also worth a try.
How to colour eggs with Natural Dyes
If you decide to use coloured eggs in your bread and you don’t want to use regular dyes then there are Natural Dyes that you can use. Vegetables and spices are great for dying eggs especially red onions, paprika, dill seed and even red cabbage.
What is the significance of Easter Bread?
Italian Easter Bread when it is baked in the shape of a wreath it is to symbolize the crown of thorns worn by Jesus Christ. When the dough is braided with three pieces it represents the Holy Trinity.
Adding an egg to the bread represents rebirth, Christ rising from the dead.
How to Store Italian Easter Bread
Be sure to store the Brioche Bread in an air tight container or bag for up to 5 days. The breads can also be frozen again in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. Just be sure to remove the egg before freezing.
So if you would like to surprise your family and friends with a delicious soft Italian Easter Bread, then I hope you give this a try and let me know how you like it. Enjoy!
Traditional Italian Easter Bread
Ingredients
BRIOCHE DOUGH
- 1¾ cups +2 tablespoons all purpose flour (234 grams total, if you double or triple the recipe double or triple this amount)
- 1 pinch salt*
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 2½ tablespoons granulated sugar
- ¼ cup lukewarm milk (I used 2 % milk)
- 1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
- 2 eggs (room temperature) (slightly beaten)
- ½ cup butter (room temperature)
If using unsalted butter add ¼ teaspoon of salt.
EGG WASH
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
TOPPING
- 2-4 eggs (uncooked and dyed whatever colour you like)
- 2-4 tablespoons sprinkles* (if desired)
Instructions
BRIOCHE DOUGH
- In the bowl of a stand up mixer whisk together the flour, salt, zest and sugar, make a well in the centre and add the milk and yeast, mix together with a fork. Then add the eggs. With the dough hook attachment knead for approximately 1 minute just to combine.
- Cover the bowl with plastic and let rise 2 hours, every 30 minutes fold both ends into the middle (repeating 4 times).
- When the time has passed add the butter a little at a time, on medium high speed with the dough hook, knead just to combine all the butter, then let the dough rest 10 minutes. Knead again for 5-6 minutes until smooth and the dough does not stick to the sides of the bowl. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic and refrigerate for 1-2 hours.
- Move the dough to a lightly floured flat surface. Divide the dough into 4 parts. Roll each part into 2 ropes (10-12 inches / 25-30cm), join 2 ropes at the top and twist the ends one over the other (see photo), join the ends to form a wreath (circle) repeat with the remaining ropes. Place the wreaths on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet, cover and let rise in a warm draft free area for 1-2 hours or doubled in bulk.
- 15 minutes before rising time has finished pre heat oven to 390F (195C).
- Add a dyed uncooked egg (if desired) to the centre of the wreath then brush the wreaths with the egg wash (be careful not to brush the eggs) and sprinkle with the sprinkles. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until golden, or when tapped on the bottom and there is a hollow sound. Immediately move the baked buns to a wire rack to cool. Let cool before serving. Enjoy!
EGG WASH
- In a small bowl beat together the egg and water.
My Italian husband & I just saw this at an italian deli yesterday. Tried it today & very yummy. Wondering about the egg. It has never been refrigerated at deli or in our home. Is it safe to eat the egg?
Hi Joy, it will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days, not sure about the deli one, you could always refrigerate it then warm up in the microwave or oven. Personally these days, I wouldn’t eat the egg, but that’s just me being paranoid. Take care.
Rosemary!! Oh my goodness this is amazing bread!! I chose to make one braided loaf to serve my family of 4 and it was the perfect size. It was done to perfection at 20mins although the golden brown was good at 10 so I just covered the loaf lightly with foil and finished baking. This bread is worth every bit of time it takes from start to finish and will definitely have a permanent place at our table ❤️
Thanks so much Katie, glad you liked it. Happy Easter and take care!
Just made this and mine came out with a very tight crumb…tastes delicious but I’m wondering if this is the correct texture or if maybe I over proofed it.
Hi Jenna, well it doesn’t have lots of holes but it isn’t really tight and it is soft. Hope that helps.
If you do the 3rd rise in the refrigerator overnight, covered or uncovered?
Hi Rosa, lightly cover it with plastic.
Hi there! This is my first time making bread and I am very much looking forward to the end result. I am halfway through my first rise (prior to butter) and wondering how much of a rise I should be seeing?? It didn’t seem to have grown much so I put a kitchen towel over the plastic covered bowl and moved it to a space closer to the stove where its warmer. Am I on the right track? lol!
Hi Katie, I would leave it for another half hour if needed, folding the dough as directed in the instructions. Sounds like you are on the right track. Let me know how it turns out.
Made them today. They looks and smell amazing. This I my moms tradition to make for our family, but do to the quarantine, I was so excited to find this small batch for my husband and I. I cant wait to devour them in the morning. Thank you! And happy easter!
Hi Christine, thanks I hope you enjoy them. Happy Easter. Take care.
Due to corona, I couldn’t find active dried yeast anywhere, so I’m using baking powder double acting instead for the same amount. Should I wait for it to rise the same time? thank you Monica!
Hi Monica, I have never substituted baking powder for yeast, since they are too separate things. But if you want to try, you won’t have to wait for a rising time, just bake it. Let me know how it turns out. Take care.
Could you add raisins? If so, when would you add them and should I soak them prior?
Hi Christina, yes I would soak them for about 5 minutes in boiling water, drain and towel dry before adding.I would add them just after all the butter has been incorporated, knead to combine for about 30 seconds. Hope you enjoy it.
Hello!
I’m tackling this recipe today and I’m so excited! Do you know if it’s ok to get them to their last rise and then bake them the next day?
Thanks for any help!
Hi Tricia, I would actually put them in the fridge over night for their last rise, then bring them to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before baking. Let me know how it turns out. Take care.
I’ve been making Easter bread for 20 years, and my Italian husband says this is the best ever!! take a while, but who cares, we are all in this covid 19 stay home together. perfect recipe!! stay safe
Hi Tina, thanks so much, glad you both enjoy it. Take care and Happy Easter.
Hi, how many breads does the recipe make?
Hi Taia, it makes 4 small wreaths. Probably enough for two people.
If making the individual breads how many does this yield?
Hi Nicole, this recipe makes 4 breads which would probably feed about 2 people. So if you make them smaller I would say it makes 8.
Hello,
I want to add raisins to the bread. At what stage can I add them?
Hi Dina, be sure to soak them in boiling water for about 5 minutes, drain and towel dry before adding, I would add them just after all the butter has been incorporated, knead to combine for about 30 seconds. Hope you enjoy it.
Hello
I’m wondering if I can refrigerate or leave on counter overnight: braid and bake the next day
Hi Rebecca, I would braid it and refrigerate it, then bring it to room temperature 30 minutes should do it, and then bake it. Don’t leave it out all night. Hope that helps. Let me know how it turns out.
Do you use regular yeast or can I use rapid rise yeast
Hi Alyssa, yes you can but only use about 1 1/4 teaspoons of rapid rise, you may not need as much rising time either. Let me know how it goes.