homemaker

A good friend gave me this recipe many years ago and I think it’s the best bread I’ve ever had.  Maybe that’s because I love any citrus flavoring.  It also looks wonderful with your Easter table spread.  Add a couple of little bunnies, a bowl of colored eggs, some spring flowers and people won’t even notice the rest of the food!  Just kidding but that’s what will be on my buffet table for our Easter brunch.  That along with eggs, turkey sausage, bacon, french toast, orange juice and lots of coffee should be filling, as well as relatively healthful.  My folks will go home satisfied but not overly full.  Hope you have great luck with this recipe and a wonderful, blessed Easter.  What a great time of the year!

1 (2.5) Envelope active, dry yeast

1/2 Cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)

1 Cup warm milk

1/4 Cup butter, softened

1 (3.4 oz.) Package instant lemon pudding mix

3 Eggs slightly beaten

5 Cups all-purpose flour

4  or 5 hard-cooked, plain or colored eggs

Dissove yeast in 1/2 cup warm water in large mixing bowl.  Add milk, butter, pudding mix, eggs and 3 cups flour.  Beat until smooth.  Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.  Turn onto a floured surface.  This stuff gets very sticky, so I use a stick of Crisco shortening and disposable gloves.  Knead until smooth and elastic–about 6-8 minutes (I use my Kitchen Aid dough beater).  Place in a greased bowl.  Turn in bowl to grease top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about one and half hours.

Punch dough down.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface, divide into three balls.  Shape each into three long ropes.  Braid ropes into a ring on a greased cookie sheet.  Tuck hard-cooked eggs in the ring.  (Colored eggs will stain the bread while baking.)  Cover and let rise until ring is doubled in size, about 30 minutes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.  Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire rack.

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