Italian Easter Bread

By laurie-2

Ingredients

• sugar
• yeast
• flour
• eggs
• butter
• milk
• honey
• vanilla extract
• sea salt
• candied orange peel
• whole unblanched almonds
• sliced almonds
• powdered sugar

Preparation

Step 1

Step 1
3 tbs + 1 tsp water
1/4 tsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp dry yeast
7 tbs flour (1.75 oz)

Combine water and sugar in bowl of heavy-duty mixer. Stir in yeast. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes. Using rubber spatula, mix in flour (dough will be firm). Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let starter rise until puffy @ 45 minutes.

Step 2
2/3 c flour
4 egg yolks
2 tbs cool water
2 tsp sugar

Attach dough hook to mixer. Add all ingredients in step 2 to starter. Beat until blended, scraping down sides of bowl often, about 5 minutes. Scrape dough off hood. Cover bowl with plastic. Let dough rise at room temp until puffy and bubbly on top, @ 1 hour. The dough will look thick, shiny and slightly puffed.

Step 3
6 tbs (3/4) butter ar room temp, cut into 6 pieces.
5 tbs sugar
2 egg yolks
2 tbs lukewarm milk
1 tbs honey
-----------------------
2 1/4 cups flour

Attach dough hook. Add 1st 5 ingredients to dough, beat until blended, add flour. Beat at low speed until smooth, scraping down bowl and hook ofter, @ 5 minutes. Dough will be firm and compact. Scrape dough off hook. Cover bowl w/ plastic, let dough rise at room temp until light in texture and slightly puffed, @ 3 1/2 hours. The dough will double in volume and become light in texture but less glossy.

Step 4
1/2 c cool water
1 1/2 tsp dry yeast
2 c flour
1 c butter @ room temp cut into 12 pieces
6 tbs sugar
4 egg yolks
3 tbs lukewarm milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 1/2 c candied orange peel

Attach dough hook. Mix water and yeast in small cup. Let stand until yeast dissolves, about 10 minutes, add to dough. Add 1 1/3 c flour, half of butter, sugar and 2 yolks. Beat until dough is smooth, @ 3 minutes. Scrape down hook and sides of bowl. Add remaining 2 yolks , milk, vanilla and salt. Beat at low speed about 3 minutes. Scrape down hook. Add remaining 2/3 c flour, remaining butter and orange peel. Beat dough until well blended @ 5 minutes. Scrape dough into large buttered bowl. Cover w/plastic, let dough rise at room temp until doubled and indentation remains when 2 fingers are pressed about 1/4" into dough, @ 8-10 hours.

Step 5
1/2 c flour
2 paper baking molds (size C3)

Sprinkler flour onto work sufrace. Gently toss dough in flour until easy to handle. Brush away excess flour. Divide dough into 3 equal pieces. divide 1 piece in half, shape each half into 10" long log. Arrange 1 log corsswise in each paper mold, curving ends to fit. Roll each remaining dough piece into 11" log, slightly tapered at ends. Place 1 log across dough in each mold. Cover molds with plastic. Let stand at room temp until dough rises to top of each mold @ 3 1/4 hours.

Step 6
1 c sugar
1/2 c whole unblanched almonds
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/3 c sliced almonds
powdered sugar

Position rack in bottom 1/3 of oven and preheat to 375. Finely grind sugar and whole almonds in processor. Add egg whites and almond extract. Blend 10 seconds. Peel plastic off dough in molds. Spoon 1/2 of almond glaze over top of each. Sprinkle with slice almonds. Sift powdered sugar over. Slide rimless baking sheet under molds. Slide molds directly onto oven rack.

Bake breads until brown on top and slender wooden skewer inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. cool breads completely on rack, let stand at room temp up to 2 days or freeze up to 1 week.