This Easter blossom bread is enriched with eggs and made with yeast. It is shaped into a flower with petals filled with jam and drizzled with lemon glaze.
Preparation Time
45 mins
Cooking Time
25 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Calories
269 Calories
Recipe Instructions
Step 1
Whisk together 4 cups flour, white sugar, yeast, and salt in a large bowl until well combined; set aside.
Step 2
Melt butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Pour in milk and heat until warm, about 110 degrees F (43 degrees C).
Step 3
Place beaten eggs in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in about 1/3 of the butter-milk mixture, then return egg mixture back into remaining butter-milk mixture in the saucepan. Stir in lemon zest. Pour mixture into flour mixture; stir until thoroughly combined.
Step 4
Mix in remaining 2 cups flour to make a soft dough; turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. Place dough into an oiled bowl and turn dough to coat with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Punch down dough and allow to rest for 10 more minutes.
Step 5
Divide dough in half and roll each half into a round ball. Roll out a ball on a floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Place a drinking glass face down into the center of the circle to prevent cutting dough too far into the center. Use a knife to cut dough into quarters, from the edge of the dough circle to the rim of the glass. Cut each quarter into 5 narrow wedge-shaped strips, leaving the center of dough uncut. Remove the drinking glass. There will be 20 narrow wedge-shaped strips surrounding the uncut center of dough.
Step 6
Pick up 2 adjacent strips and twist them together about 4 times; pinch the ends of the 2 pieces together at the top. Gently coil to form a rough flower shape. Arrange round into the middle of the circle, where the drinking glass was.
Step 7
Pick up 2 more adjacent strips; twist and pinch them as before and coil them into a rough round. Arrange a new petal next to the center rosette. Repeat with remaining 16 strips, twisting and pinching them in twos and coiling and arranging them into 8 more petals around the center rosette. The finished bread will have 9 petals surrounding the center round. Repeat steps with remaining dough ball to make 2 breads.
Step 8
Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment paper. Place shaped breads onto the prepared baking sheet, reshaping them into rounds if needed. Cover with a clean kitchen towel and place in a warm spot to rise until almost doubled, 30 to 45 minutes.
Step 9
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Beat egg yolk with water in a small bowl until well mixed and brush over both breads.
Step 10
Bake in the preheated oven until breads are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Allow to cool.
Step 11
Use your fingers to gently deepen the indentations in the center of each petal, filling each with about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon raspberry jam.
Step 12
Mix together confectioners' sugar and lemon juice in a bowl to form a glaze; drizzle glaze in thin lines all over both breads. Allow glaze to set. To serve, pull petals apart.
Ingredients
1 egg yolk
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon water
3 eggs, beaten
1 lemon, zested and juiced
6 cups all-purpose flour, or more if needed (divided)
