Easter Bread "Nests" Recipe

With the holy season of Lent here, Easter is just about one month away!  And thankfully, Spring is officially here, too!  Every holiday, I always think about what traditions I want my family to have, to remember, and to hold onto.  Baking with my kids is something I enjoy thoroughly, as it brings us together in preparing and eating.  I decided to start a new Easter tradition for our family this year, and so I tested out Easter Bread "nests" with my Kindergartner after school - the bread came out so delicious, and we had so much fun together, that I am sure this Easter tradition is something we will continue every year.  One of my most prevalent challenges with my 6-year old son now is getting him to persist through a task that he says is "too hard for me."  He wanted to give up when he struggled to roll his dough and was frustrated making his first "braid" with the bread, but, together (with lots of praise, patience and gentleness) we managed to finish what we started with a smile on our faces.  David was so surprised when I told him it was ok to "unbraid" one of the bread loaves so that we can redo it when he expressed his disappointment in the shape of his ropes.  Who knew baking bread could teach us so much?  Thankfully, this was also quick enough so that I could let my twin toddlers play a bit independently, while still keeping an eye on them from the kitchen - maybe they'll be ready to knead dough next Easter.

These bread "nests" are just adorable, as they are individual loafs per person and each have an egg in the middle.  This recipe yields 6 loaves actually (perfect for a large family like ours), and the eggs even cook in the oven - so no need to hard boil them.  And the time the dough needs to be left to set and rise makes this recipe even more 'mama-friendly' as I often get caught up with other things to do around the house anyway, so I didn't feel rushed making this at all.  We didn't get to color our eggs this time around, but I definitely plan to do that when I bake this Easter Bread again right before Easter Sunday.  My apartment smelled heavenly as these breads baked, and the softness of this bread reminds me of Hawaiian bread if you've ever tried it.  My sons all loved the sweet flavor of their "nests" of course, so they were quickly devoured!  You can prepare these one day in advance - the Easter Bread makes a great breakfast item and it reheats really well for a few minutes in the oven or 30 seconds in the microwave. 

In the Albanian culture, it is a custom tradition for Catholics to bless food in their Easter Baskets for their Easter Sunday breakfast on Holy Saturday - these Easter Bread "nests" will make the perfect blessings in our Easter Basket this year!

Thank you to our sponsors from Farmland Fresh Dairies for supplying our family with the freshest milk and eggs for this recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
• 1 1/4 cups warm Farmland Fresh milk 
• Pinch of salt
• 1/3 cup butter, at room temperature
• 2 Farmland Fresh eggs, lightly beaten & 6 dyed, uncooked Easter eggs (will cook in the oven)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 5 cups flour
• Egg wash (1 egg, beaten with 1 teaspoon of water)
• Sprinkles

Directions:

Step 1:  Mix together the yeast, milk, salt, butter, eggs and sugar in a large mixing bowl using a whisk. Add 2 cups of flour and mix until smooth.   Add the remaining 3 cups of flour as needed so that it is tacky, not sticky.  Knead the dough on a floured work surface by hand as you slowly add in the flour.  Transfer to a lightly oiled bowl, turning once to coat both sides. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled, about 1 hour to 1 hour and a half.

                   

                                      

Step #2:  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or simply spray with Pam.  Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal round pieces. Roll each piece into about a 14-inch rope.  The goal is for each of them to be the same size in length so that the bread loaves look the same.

               

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Step #3:  Twist two ropes to form a "braid," then join the ends to loop into a circle while pinching the tips together. Place on the prepared baking sheet.

                 

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Step #4:  Repeat with each of the remaining dough ropes, so you make 6 of the circle "nests" in total. Cover with aluminum foil and let rise again until nearly doubled, about 1 more hour.

The twinsie's busy at play watching us in the kitchen 

Step #5:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the tops of the dough "nests" with the egg wash. Then, decorate with the sprinkles. 

                     

Step #6:  Place one uncooked egg in the center of each nest, pressing down lightly to secure. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

            

                     

                                         

Important Notes:  If you do not eat the bread within the same day it is made, then remove the eggs from the bread and refrigerate them, then set them back onto the bread "nests" when you're ready to eat.