Happy Easter (Bread)!

Today I’ll be sharing with you the recipe for a traditional (German) Easter bread with which I have been tempting you for the last few years already. For those of you, who want to try and bake it yourselves, here’s the recipe, finally:

San’s Easter Bread

2 1/4 cups wheat flour
1 package dry yeast
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter
8.5 fl oz milk
1 egg
pinch of salt
————–
1 egg yolk

1. In a large bowl, combine  flour and yeast; stir well. Combine milk and butter in a small bowl; heat (in the microwave) until milk is warm and butter is softened but not melted.

2. Gradually add the milk and butter to the flour mixture; stirring constantly. Add the egg, sugar, and salt and knead thoroughly until smooth and elastic.

3. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1-2 hours.

4. Deflate the dough and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into three equal size rounds. Roll each round into a long roll and form a loosely braided loaf. Seal the ends of the braid together.

5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place loaf on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and cover loosely with a damp towel. Place loaf in a warm place and let rise again for 30-45 minutes. Brush risen loaf with egg yolk.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until golden.

Voilá.

It’s delicious just with butter. I also like a soft-boiled egg or some jam with it. Cheese or liverwurst are delicious with it, too, but that’s maybe not everybody’s cup of tea – so you go and eat it with whatever your heart desires.

Happy Easter everyone!