Recipe
How to Make Authentic Italian Easter Bread
My Grandma had an Easter tradition that involved the whole family in the kitchen. We would all take part in making the Easter bread each year. She would mix all the ingredients using a Kitchen Aid mixer and make my dad knead the dough because her hands weren't strong enough.
After spending hours waiting for the dough to rise, she would let my sister and I braid the bread. And she didn't just make one loaf, it was always at least four, so we were braiding for a while. We all loved being in the kitchen together which is why it was so devastating when my Grandma died.
The next Easter we all felt like something was missing without the traditional Easter bread there, but we didn't do anything about it. A few years ago, I decided I was going to try to make the Easter bread on my own.
Unfortunately, I was unable to find my Grandma's Easter bread recipe, so I went to Pinterest for help. I found a recipe that seemed close to the ingredients my Grandma used but it wasn't perfect. I have made a few edits to the recipe I found, but it is still a work in progress to make it taste like my grandma's bread. It will never be the same without her in the kitchen, but it's a tradition I plan to carry on with my own children one day.
Italian Easter Bread
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 20 mins
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Servings: 2
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 package rapid rise instant yeast
- 1/2 cup salted butter softened
- 5-6 cups flour divided
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup salted butter melted
Step 1
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Step 4
#SpoonTip: A good way to get a warm space is to turn your oven on the lowest setting (150ºFahrenheit) then turn it off just before you're ready to put the dough in.