Description
This Traditional Italian Easter Bread, also known as ‘Pane di Pasqua’, is a delightful blend of brioche dough enriched with lemon zest, bringing a festive touch to your holiday table.
Ingredients
Scale
1¾ cups +2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2½ tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ cup lukewarm milk
1½ teaspoons active dry yeast
2 eggs
½ cup butter
1 egg (for egg wash)
1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine lukewarm milk and active dry yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes until it becomes frothy.
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, salt, granulated sugar, and lemon zest.
- Add the yeast mixture, slightly beaten eggs, and room temperature butter to the dry ingredients. Mix until a dough forms.
- Knead the dough on a floured surface for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until doubled in size.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Punch down the risen dough and shape it into a braid or a round loaf.
- Place the dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
- For the egg wash, beat 1 egg with 1 tablespoon of water and brush the mixture over the dough.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.
- Let it cool on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
Notes
Feel free to customize this bread by adding dried fruits or nuts for extra flavor and texture. If using unsalted butter, be sure to add a little extra salt to the recipe.
- Prep Time: 2020 minutes (+ 1 hr 45 min rising time)
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Bread / Dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 260 kcal
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg
Keywords: Traditional Italian Easter Bread, Pane di Pasqua, brioche bread, festive bread, Easter recipes