Perruso's Italian Easter Bread

Submitted by Diana Adcock

"Another Perruso Family Classic given to me by my Stepmother. Very pretty on the table at Easter or given as a gift."

 

• Ready In: 2hrs
• Ingredients: 12
• Yields: 1 round loaf

ingredients

• 4 1⁄2 - 6 cups unbleached flour
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages dry active yeast
• 1 cup water
• 3⁄4 cup Crisco shortening
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon, rind of, grated
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon milk
• 9 large eggs
• 6 eggs, dye, uncooked and set aside to dry

directions

1. Soften yeast in 1/2 cup warm water for around 5-8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile blend 1&1/2 cups of flour with remaining warm water in a large mixing bowl.
3. Mix well.
4. Add yeast mixture.
5. Mix until fairly smooth.
6. Cover bowl with a dish towel and let sit in a warm area until dough mixture has risen, about 1 hour.
7. After about 30 minutes, in a medium sized bowl, mix shortening with lemon juice and grated lemon peel.
8. Mix together sugar and salt, then add half to shortening, creaming until fluffy.
9. Add remaining sugar-salt mixture stirring well.
10. Beat two eggs and one egg white until piled softly.
11. Add beaten eggs, in thirds, to shortening/sugar mixture and mix well.
12. Add 2&1/2 cups of flour to yeast mixture and mix until smooth.
13. Continue to add flour, a little at a time, mixing until dough holds together in a kneadable ball.
14. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and continue to work in flour, kneading 8-10 minutes.
15. The amount of flour needed will vary, depending on humidity.
16. Grease a large bowl with vegetable oil.
17. Put in dough, turning to coat.
18. Cover with a dish towel and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled, around 1&1/2 hours.
19. Punch down risen dough and divide into two balls.
20. Let stand covered for 10 minutes.
21. Roll each ball into a long roll about 30 inches.
22. Then "braid or twist" rolls together, making a wreath and pinch ends together.
23. Place on a cookie sheet or baking pan.
24. Gently, and at even intervals, bury the colored eggs by separating strands.
25. Cover with a dish towel and let stand for 30 minutes.
26. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 10 minutes.
27. Brush with an egg beaten with milk.
28. Continue baking for 40 to 45 minutes.
29. Bread should be golden brown when done, and the eggs will be baked, but just like hard boiled eggs.
30. Serve with butter.

Reviews

[Donna M.]

This is a wonderful bread for Easter dinner. I love the lemon flavor and it is beautiful to look at. I think that the way the eggs are listed is confusing. I used 3 whole eggs in the dough and 6 for decoration equalling 9 in all. I also skipped the sponge method of breadmaking described here and used my traditional method, substituting soft butter for the Crisco. It worked fine. . My bread got way too dark, so next time I think I will brush the loaf with just an egg white, then watch the baking time more closely, covering the bread with foil if it really takes that long to get it done. (I will try knocking on it to see if it sounds somewhat hollow to test the doneness)

 

[frank]

The recipe left out the step as to when you add the egg/sugar /zest mixture to the yeast mixture. I let the yeast mixture rise without adding the Egg mixture, and therafter was looking for the step to add the Egg mixture to the yeast mixture, but to no avail, it was not there.