Pan Di Pasqua (Italian Easter bread)
Source of Recipe
Internet
List of Ingredients
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 envelopes dry yeast
4 3/4 cups bread flour -- divided
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 colored eggs -- at room
temperature, hard-cooked or raw
Recipe
Heat water and oil to 120 to 130 degrees. In large bowl of
electric mixer fitted with dough hook, stir together sugar,
salt, yeast and 2 cups flour. With machine running, add
warm water and oil; mix well. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add
enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (about 2 cups).
Use part of the remaining flour to heavily coat a bread
board. Turn dough out and knead until it is smooth and
satiny; work in only as much flour as necessary to handle
the dough.
Oil bowl lightly. Return dough to bowl; turn to coat with
oil. Cover; let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Turn
dough out onto lightly floured board and punch down. Cut
off about 1/3 of the dough; return to bowl. Cover and set
aside. Divide larger piece of dough into 3 equal parts.
Shape each part into a rope 18 to 20 inches long. Lift
ropes onto parchment-lined baking sheet and pinch ends
together; shape into loose braid, about 4 inches wide.
Pinch ends together and turn under.
Divide reserved dough into thirds and form a slightly
shorter, tight braid. Use side of hand to press an
indentation down the center of the first, larger braid.
Lift second, smaller braid onto larger braid; gently press
into indentation. Allow to rise for about 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Gently pull two strands of top braid open; nestle a colored
egg into dough, pulling dough up around egg slightly.
Repeat at even intervals with remaining eggs. Bake 25 to 30
minutes or until internal temperature of bread reaches 170
degrees (test with an instant-read thermometer). Let cool
on rack.
Yield: 1 loaf, about 2 3/4 pounds (including eggs).
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