This elaborate almond Easter bread recipe consists of braided puff pastry stuffed with almond filling and topped with colored Easter eggs and almonds.
Preparation Time
60 mins
Cooking Time
40 mins
Total Time
1 hr 40 mins
Calories
799 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 2
Stir water and 1/2 teaspoon sugar together in a large bowl until dissolved. Stir in yeast and let stand until frothy and double in size, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in 3 cups flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 eggs, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer until well combined, about 3 minutes. Beat in remaining 1 1/2 cups flour until dough is shiny and elastic, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 3
Place butter sticks 1 inch apart between 2 large pieces of waxed paper. Roll butter into a solid 12 x 12-inch square. Transfer butter in waxed paper to a baking sheet; freeze, 15 minutes.
Step 4
Turn dough onto a floured work surface. Roll into an 18-inch square. Peel waxed paper from one side of butter. Center (butter side down) on dough diagonally so it looks like a diamond sitting on a square. Peel off remaining waxed-paper. Fold corners of dough over butter like an envelope, fully enclosing it. Press seams gently to seal.
Step 5
Roll dough, seam side down, on a floured work surface into a 12 x 24-inch rectangle; fold dough in half into a 12 x 12-inch square. Fold in half again, into a 6 x 12-inch square. Chill about 5 minutes; roll dough into a 12 x 24-inch rectangle; repeat 2 additional folds as above. Chill, repeat rolling and folding one more time. Refrigerate dough at least 1 hour or overnight.
Step 6
Cut dough into two pieces. Roll one piece of dough on a floured work surface into a 30 x 9-inch rectangle; cut into three 30 x 3-inch strips. Mix almond filling, 1/2 cup butter, and 1/2 cup sugar together in a bowl. Spread half the filling down center of strips. Fold strips over filling lengthwise; pinch dough to enclose filling. Braid ropes together; arrange braid into a coil. Pinch end closed. Repeat for remaining dough and remaining half of filling.
Step 7
Transfer pastry onto prepared baking sheets. Wedge 3 hard-cooked eggs evenly between braids on both pastries; brush all over (including hard-cooked eggs) with beaten egg; sprinkle with sugar and sliced almonds.
Step 8
Bake in the preheated oven until brown, 40 to 45 minutes.
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
2 (.25 ounce) envelopes dry yeast
1 pound stick butter
1 (12.5 ounce) can almond cake and pastry filling (not almond paste)
6 dyed hard-cooked Easter eggs
0.5 cup butter, softened
0.5 cup white sugar
0.33333334326744 cup white sugar
0.75 cup milk
0.5 teaspoon white sugar
0.5 cup sliced almonds, divided
0.5 cup warm water - 100 to 110 degrees F (40 to 45 degrees C)
