Name: Auntie Dolly’s Sweet Italian Easter Bread
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 8 Loaves
Ingredients: For the Dough; 2 cups milk, heated to 105 degrees; 2 packages (1/4 ounce each) dry yeast; 2½ pounds granulated sugar plus 1 teaspoon sugar; 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled; 18 large eggs; 6 pounds all-purpose flour; 3 tablespoons baking powder; Zest from 10 to 12 oranges; 3 large egg yolks

Sweets

Auntie Dolly’s Sweet Italian Easter Bread

Author: Mary DiSomma

I always put this special bread on my recipe list when Easter rolls around. I form the dough into small loaves instead of a large loaf, which makes them perfect for giving as gifts to friends and family. With this Italian Easter bread recipe, the delicate yeast flavor melds perfectly with lots and lots of citrus. You'll get a zesting workout on this recipe: I use the zest from 10 to 12 oranges.

Auntie Dolly’s Sweet Italian Easter Bread

Yield: 8 Loaves
Prep Time: 15 minutes 15 min
Cook Time: 40 minutes 40 min
Total Time: 55 minutes 55 min

Ingredients

For the Dough

2 cups milk, heated to 105 degrees
2 packages (1/4 ounce each) dry yeast
2½ pounds granulated sugar plus 1 teaspoon sugar
8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
18 large eggs
6 pounds all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons baking powder
Zest from 10 to 12 oranges

For the Glaze

3 large egg yolks

Instructions

In a bowl, place the warmed milk. Sprinkle yeast on top along with 1 teaspoon sugar. Mix gently. Let rest for approximately 15 minutes until foamy.
While yeast is proofing, put together the rest of your ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter and sugar. In a separate bowl, whip the eggs with a wire whisk. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and orange zest.
Add the milk and yeast mixture to the eggs. Add the milk mixture to the butter/sugar mixture. Use a wooden spoon to combine. Now add half of the flour mixture, stirring to combine. Add the remaining flour mixture. Mix until combined. The dough gets a bit heavy so you will need some arm strength to do this.
Lightly flour a work area. Transfer the dough to the work area and knead thoroughly adding additional flour as necessary to create a workable dough.
Lightly spray a large clean bowl with nonstick cooking spray. Transfer the dough to the bowl and cover loosely with a kitchen towel. Let rise in a warm place for 3 hours until doubled in bulk.
Transfer the raised dough to a lightly floured work area. Form dough into eight circular rounds and place on parchment-lined cookie sheets. Cover the pans with kitchen towels and let rise again until doubled, about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together the remaining 3 egg yolks in a bowl. Brush the top of each round with the egg glaze. Bake the bread for 40 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the bread center reaches 190 degrees. Remove and let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Transfer bread rounds to a wire rack to cool.