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orange bread

Italian Easter Bread

April 15, 2019 by sblades Leave a Comment

Wow, it’s been awhile since I posted. I’ve made a bunch of new recipes in the past several weeks, but none of them were up to par for posting – good, but not great.

Then along comes this amazing Italian Easter Bread from Brown Eyed Baker. The bread is flavored with orange juice and orange zest, and then I made a few small changes from the original recipe to our tastes.

Italian Easter Bread

The original recipe calls for anise oil and I substituted almond flavoring. Also I halved the recipe because we don’t need two big loaves of bread.

This bread is wonderful, though, and now I’m thinking two loaves would be welcome!

Italian Easter Bread

The texture of this Italian Easter Bread is fluffy, fairly soft, and tender. It’s a barely-sweet bread and the simple, sweet glaze goes perfectly as the finishing touch.

There are sprinkles on top because I think they look “Spring-y,” but sliced almonds would be nice if you want an alternative.

The orange flavor isn’t overpowering, but is definitely there and wonderful. The dough is fairly easy to work with and rises nicely to make this beautiful, big loaf. Just take a look!

I’m gonna dab a little butter on a slice tomorrow morning and slide it under the broiler for a great breakfast treat. Don’t put it in the toaster, though, or you’ll have a little mess with melted glaze…

This beautiful Italian Easter Bread is great for Easter, but I’m sure I’ll be making it throughout the rest of the year, too.

Besides the time for rising, this bread is fairly straightforward to make and your guests will be very impressed. Put this one on your holiday baking list!

Italian Easter Bread

Italian Easter Bread

Yield: 1 big, round loaf
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Inactive Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 10 minutes

Fluffy, soft, and tender lightly sweet yeast bread, flavored with orange and topped with a sweet glaze. 

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 - 5 C all purpose flour
  • 3/4 C milk (I used 2%)
  • 1/4 plus 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 large orange, zested and juiced
  • 1 envelope (about 2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 4 eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/8 tsp almond extract
  • 1 tbsp butter, melted (for brushing onto bread)
  • Glaze:
  • 1 1/2 C powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tbsp milk or cream
  • 2-3 drops almond extract
  • sprinkles, sliced almonds, or your choice of topping (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place 4 cups of the flour in a large mixing bowl.
  2. Pour the milk in a large glass measuring cup and microwave for 20 seconds at a time until warm to the touch (between 110° to 115°).  
  3. While milk is warming, mix the sugar and orange zest together in a small bowl or cup until well-blended.
  4. When the milk is warm, stir the sugar/orange zest mixture into it and stir until well mixed.  Make sure the milk is still warm to the touch, then add the yeast and stir.  Set aside for 7-8 minutes until the yeast has bloomed.
  5. Create a small hole in the middle of the flour and pour in the milk/yeast mixture.  Stir a few times with a large spoon, then use the mixer to continue mixing on medium low.  Add the melted, cooled butter and continue to mix.  Add the juice of the orange and again continue mixing.
  6. While the dough is mixing, place the eggs, salt and almond extract in a medium bowl and lightly beat with a fork.  Turn the mixer on low and add the eggs, scraping down the sides as needed.  Mixture will be quite runny at this point.
  7. Begin adding flour, 1/4 C at a time until dough comes together (mine took a cup of extra flour to do so).  The dough will look more like bread dough, but still be just a bit sticky to the touch.
  8. Flour your kneading surface and turn out the dough onto it.  Knead for 5 minutes, adding a small amount of flour if needed until the dough is soft and elastic.  Roll gently into a smooth ball and place in a large bowl which is oiled or sprayed.  Turn the ball to coat with the oil/spray.  Cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap and place in a warm, draft-free place to rise - about 1 hour.
  9. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  10. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and cut it in half.  Working with one half, roll the dough into an even 24-inch long rope.  Do the same with the second half, then gently twist the two ropes together, about four to five twists. 
  11. Move the braid over to the baking sheet and carefully bring the ends around to meet, gently twisting the ends together - pinch dough together if needed.
  12. Brush the melted butter over the top and sides of the braid  and loosely cover with plastic wrap.  Set in a warm, draft-free place and let rise until almost doubled - 45 to 60 minutes.
  13. Ten minutes before the dough is finished rising, preheat the oven to 350°.  Bake the bread until golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool completely on a rack.
  14. When bread is completely cool, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk , and almond extract until smooth.  Adjust milk to get desired consistency (leave it a little thick, not runny.)  Brush the glaze onto the bread with a pastry brush, using all of the glaze.  Sprinkle with sprinkles, almonds, or your choice of topping.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

The original recipe was doubled for two loaves and uses anise oil instead of almond extract.

Don't panic if you have to add more than a cup of extra flour after the eggs are added - just add 1/4 cup at a time till it looks like bread dough (will still be slightly sticky though).

Lower the speed of the mixer when you add the eggs or you'll have egg hair.

Make sure the two 24" ropes are even from the middle to the end or after baked you'll have a puffy side and flatter side.  I didn't show my whole bread in the photos, but the ends that were twisted together are smaller than the other side.  Take your time when you twist and pinch them together.

Any lumps or cracks that are in the risen dough will be amplified after baking, so smooth out any rough edges.  (The glaze covers a lot of sins but not all of them!).

Store leftovers tightly in plastic wrap at room temperature up 3 to 4 days.  Best at room temperature.

Spread a pat of butter on a slice and place under the broiler for a minute to have wonderful breakfast toast.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 865Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 166mgCarbohydrates: 158gFiber: 6gSugar: 13gProtein: 23g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.Com
Category: Breads/Muffins

Filed Under: All Recipes, Breads/Muffins, Holiday Recipes Tagged With: bread, Brown-eyed Baker, Easter, Easter bread, orange bread, sweet yeast bread, yeast bread

Orange Cinnamon Bread from Heaven

March 21, 2017 by sblades Leave a Comment

I took a little liberty with the title of this post, but man, oh, man this Orange Cinnamon Bread really is heavenly!

I’m lucky to have a knack at making yeast breads – they always turn out unless my yeast is way out of date.  I end up with flour from head to toe, but homemade bread – especially this one – is really worth the time.  

Your family will love that orangey-cinnamony yeast bread aroma coming from the oven.

This bread is light and airy with a swirl of cinnamon-sugar through it along with bits of orange zest sprinkled here and there. 

While taking photos, I had to (had to) eat the end piece so no one would have to eat that.  It’s not nice to give people the end piece of bread.  

Then I needed to test the texture of a regular piece, so I warmed it up for a few seconds with butter slathered on it.  Oh, my, my, my, as Mr. Kenda would say.  It’s fantastic!

Do take the time and make this bread.  It makes two loaves, so you can give the second one to someone you love.  They’ll definitely appreciate it.  Now, what did I do with that bread knife?

Orange Cinnamon Bread from Heaven

Orange Cinnamon Bread

Yield: 2 loaves
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Inactive Time: 2 hours
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes

Outstanding homemade bread.  Best when sliced, dotted with butter and toasted under a toaster oven or broiler for 1-3 minutes.

Ingredients

  • 2 pkgs., 1/4 oz. each, active dry yeast
  • 1/4 C. warm water, 110 to 115 degrees
  • 1 C milk
  • 3/4 C. orange juice
  • 1 C. sugar,, divided
  • 1 tbsp. grated orange peel
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 egg
  • 6 1/2 to 7 C. all-purpose flour
  • Additional water
  • 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • Glaze:
  • 1 C. confectioner's sugar
  • 2 tbsp. orange juice
  • 1/8 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. In a saucepan, heat milk and orange juice until warm (110 degrees); add to yeast mixture. Stir in 1/2 C. sugar, orange peel, salt, egg and 3 C. flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (I used a total of 6 1/2 cups.)
  2. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 6-8 minutes). Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
  3. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly flour surface; divide in half. With a rolling pin, roll each portion into a 15"x 7" rectangle. Brush lightly with water. Combine cinnamon and remaining half-cup of sugar and sprinkle over the dough up to 1" from edges.
  4. Tightly roll up jelly-roll style, starting at the short end and pinch bottom and side seams to seal. Place bottom seam down in two greased 9" x 5" loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
  5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool (run butter knife around edges if slightly stuck). Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over completely cooled bread.

Notes

Tips and Stuff:

I used my Kitchen Aide to mix the ingredients together, changed to the dough hook on low for 3-4 minutes, then turned out the dough on the floured counter and kneaded for 3-4 more minutes until smooth and elastic (hold up a little piece and stretch - should be see-through).

My bread was perfectly browned and done in 30 minutes. Ovens may vary - just keep a watch. You don't want the top too brown.

Store the bread loosely in a sack, bread box, or I used a plastic grocery bag tied loosely at the end (with aluminum foil wrapped on the cut end to keep it from drying out).

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 32 Serving Size: 1 slice
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 697Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 110mgCarbohydrates: 147gFiber: 5gSugar: 11gProtein: 19g

Nutrition Values are Approximate

© Taste of Home
Category: Breads/Muffins

Filed Under: All Recipes, Breads/Muffins, Breakfast Tagged With: cinnamon bread, homemade bread, orange bread, orange cinnamon bread, yeast bread

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Welcome!  I’m Susan and I love finding wonderful new recipes.  I hope you’ll find a few new ones here that you and your family will love. Browse around and stay a while!Save

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