Tuck this recipe for Easter bread away for next year, and bake it on the first morning of your long weekend. It will not keep well, so make sure you have people to share it with.
Skip ahead to the recipe for Easter Bread
Baking up a storm
Every now and then, the baking bug bites, and I spend an entire weekend baking. Over the Easter weekend, I had four days to get creative. This was helped in part by us having friends over. I made this Easter bread, which came about as a result of it being too hot to make buns. This is what I had planned on doing. But, because I could not make buns, I also baked some mixed peel Chelsea buns. And, if that was not enough of a sweet treat mission, I baked scones. My Easter bread recipe is being shared well past Easter, but I am preserving the recipe for next year when I will try the bun route again. The scones were made well in advance for International Scone Week which will come around in August.
Sitting around, and waiting
I am not the most patient person, and really do not enjoy sitting around doing nothing. The other morning at work I had to wait for two deliveries to come in before we could do anything. This is so frustrating as it puts a halt to my work day, with nothing to fill the gap. Luckily, I could use the time to write this blog post, otherwise it would have done my head in. I feel useless when idle at the office. And I get impatient waiting around for other people to do their job, in order for me to complete my day. I also do not like to leave the office knowing I have to come back. Which means I only run my errands once I have packed away all my stuff. I dragged out the morning by also creating some online maps.
Take a look at this inspiring recipe for ♥ Easter Bread ♥ from Lavender and Lime #LavenderAndLime Share on X
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
Easter Bread
Ingredients
for the dough:
- 500 g bread flour, plus extra for dusting
- 8 g fructose
- 7 g fine salt
- 7 g instant dried yeast
- 150 mls water
- 120 mls milk
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 40 g softened butter, cubed
- canola oil for greasing
for the filling:
- 75 g butter, softened
- 75 g coconut sugar
- 5 mls ground mixed spice
- 100 g chocolate coated marzipan log, cut into small pieces
- 100 g mixed peel
- 50 g blanched almonds, roughly chopped
- baking spray for the tin
for the glaze:
- 25 g apricot jam
Method
for the dough:
- Place the flour, fructose, salt and yeast into a stand mixer bowl and whisk to combine
- Add the water, milk and egg and use a dough hook to bring the ingredients together
- When a dough has formed, add the butter and knead for 10 minutes
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly dusted surface, shape into a ball, and place seam side down into a lightly oiled bowl
- Cover and set aside to prove until doubled in size
for the filling:
- Place the butter, sugar and mixed spice into a bowl and cream together
shaping:
- When the dough has risen, turn it out onto a lightly dusted work surface and gently knock back
- Roll into a 45cm square then spread the butter filling over the dough, leaving a 5cm border at the edges
- Sprinkle the marzipan, mixed peel and nuts over the butter then roll the dough up into a tight sausage shape
- Roll the sausage into a spiral then place into a 20cm round tin that has been sprayed with cooking spray
- Cover and set aside to prove for 30 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 220° Celsius
- Place the tin into the oven and bake for 10 minutes
- Reduce the temperature to 200° Celsius and bake for a further 10 minutes
- Cover the top of the bread with baking paper and bake for a further 10 minutes
for the glaze:
- Place the jam into a microwave safe bowl and blitz in the microwave for 30 seconds
- Remove the tin from the oven and remove the bread from the tin
- Brush the tops and sides with the glaze and set on a wire rack to cool completely
See the links below for blog posts I published on May 26:
- 2024: All The Broken Places
- 2021: Tulbagh Hotel
- 2019: The Rumour
- 2017: Grenadine Syrup
- 2014: Quiche
- 2012: Food Quiz Number 24 For A Friday
- 2011: Slow Cooked Lamb Neck
- 2010: Vanilla Purée
Interesting! In Estonia we have a similar Easter bread minus the chocolate component which AI (!!!) has just described as a ‘Cinnamon and sugar braid’ called a ‘Kringel’. I don’t know how long it keeps as usually there is nought left to keep after the first cups of coffee are served 🙂 !
Oh, I have to find a recipe for that and try it!
This Easter bread sounds scrumptious and that photo shows such lovely layers. Definitely saving this – though might bake this before Easter 2027 🙂
Also, I understand your sentiment of “I feel useless when idle at the office” – I’ve been feeling that way ALOT these days and seeing there’s a lot of idle days, I’ve even started looking for work elsewhere – only, ageism seems to be rampant here.
Extra work is a good thing, if you can find it!
I’ve always wanted to make some version of this but never manage to remember in time for Easter. This is a good reminder that I can just bake things whenever! It’s not like I even celebrate Easter in the first place. 😂
Well, you cannot make it for Pesach, so it has to be an anytime bread 😉
My family would certainly like the bread. It sounds like you have a very busy and creative Easter.
Baking over a long weekend certainly keeps me busy 😉
That’s a great looking bread! Why limit it only on Easter?
so true!
What a beautiful loaf, Tandy! I love the golden crust and soft texture – such an elegant and festive bread.
Thanks for saying that 🙂
Ooh choc coated marzipan is a weakness of mine. Sounds fab Tandy
Sherry
Thanks so much 🙂
I wish I could have a slice of that for breakfast.
I could do with the same right now!
I think my family would love this tasty bread year round! What a beauty.
Thank you so much!