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.
Our families called them Easter Baskets. As there was an ‘X’ holding the egg in the wreath.
I’m little light on appliances can you still do this recipe without a knead mixer?
Hi Bev, yes you can although the kneading by hand time could take about 15 minutes. Hope that helps. Take care!
Are you sure that this is the correct amount of flour? It seems that 1.75 cups is too little.
Hi Angie, yes it is the correct amount. It makes small wreaths. You can double the recipe if you want. Hope that helps.
Can the dough be left in refrigerator overnight or must it be just the 2 hours?
Hi Marie, yes you can leave it overnight, bring it to room temperature for about an hour before you continue with the recipe. Take care and Happy Easter!
Turns out great every time.
Hi Jen, thanks so much, so glad you enjoyed it. Take care and Happy Easter!
Hi! I’m a seasoned baker and doubled the batch. The dough is VERY buttery? Is this ok?
Hi Stefani, I didn’t find it overly buttery, did you miscalculate the amount?
Sorry to butt in. I also doubled the recipe. I’m glad for your question. I am in the rising step and when it’s time to add the butter I may omit a few tablespoons. How did it turn out?
Agreed. I also doubled the recipe and had to hold back some butter. The dough looked like buttercream icing. 🙁 I will see how the bread turns out with the reduction of butter. I’m hopeful!
Hi Mel, there has to be a reason why, because there is a video and photos and it always works. I think it has something to do with the butter you use. 🙂
This does not seem like much flour for 4 loaves
Hi Carol, they aren’t big loaves. Small mini loaves. 🙂
Hi there. Question for you. How do you recommend reheating it after storing in fridge?
Also, Everytime I try to make this, my eggs come out soft boiled. If I make according to directions, when I reheat, will it finish hard boiling the egg?
Finally, have you ever parboiled the egg ahead of time so it comes out fully cooked?
Thanks so much.
Hi Trisa, yes I would re-heat it after storing in the fridge, just until warmish. That’s strange they have always cooked for me. I think parboiling them first would work, I have never done that because I have never needed to, but I don’t see why not. Hope that helps. Take care!
Hello! Can the bread be frozen after baking?
Thank you!
Hi Donna, the bread can be frozen, place in a freezer safe bag or container, be sure to remove the eggs if using, it will keep for up to 2 months in the freezer. Take care!
Hello and thank you for taking my questions; one of the readers asked about freezing the dough and you mentioned to let it rise two hours, wrap and freeze. This is where my questions comes in.
Are we going to do the four, 30 min fold overs during the two hour rise?
Thus…After the fourth fold over it gets wrapped for the freezer.
When the bread is taken out of the freezer, it thaws overnight in the refrigerator. Got it.
At this point it will return to the mixer to step 3 and the butter is gradually added, so on so forth till the remaining steps are taken to the end.
Thank you so much, so appreciated
Judy
Hi Judy, it should be frozen just before it is to be formed and then risen for the last time. So after the fridge and folds and butter added. So the last 2 hours in the fridge. Hope that helps. Take care!
Is there a way to make this dough ahead of time and freeze?
Hi Mimi, yes you can freeze it, after the first rise wrap it well and place in a freezer bag and freeze, then thaw overnight in the fridge and continue with the shaping and second rise. Hope that helps. Take care.
Looking forward to trying this recipe!
Thanks Jean, I hope you like it. Take care!
Rosemary I am anxious to try your Easter Bread recipe. I have used a different one each of 5 years now trying to get the same taste as that of my Grandma’s. I have skimmed through your page looking for a mention of anise which Grandma always used in hers. Have you ever and how much would you suggest? TY!
Hi Sharon, if you use seeds then I would add them with the dry ingredients at the beginning if you mean flavouring then add with either the egg in the first rise or with the butter in the second rise. I would add about 1/4 – 1/3 teaspoon. Hope that helps. Let me know how it goes. Take care!
Can this bread been done without a mixer?
Hi Jeannine, yes it can be done by hand, the first mix you can mix it with a spatula or wooden spoon, the second mix though could take 18-20 minutes kneading by hand. Take care!
My Mother had talked about my Grandmother making this bread at Easter time when she was growing up. I am going to surprise her with some this year, can the recipe be doubled or should I do each batch separate? Thank You
Hi Marsha, yes the dough can be doubled, I don’t know if it would be a bit much to work with though. Let me know how it goes. Take care!
Easy to work with doubled and more rewarding yield
Hi Barbara, thanks glad you like it. Take care and Happy Easter!
Hi Lorraine, sounds wonderful, thanks and Happy Easter to you too!