Springtime is here and Easter is just around the corner! What better way to celebrate than by baking some delicious Easter bread in your bread machine? Not only is it easy and convenient, but it will fill your house with the sweet aroma of freshly baked bread. In this article, we will share with you two amazing recipes for Easter bread that you can make in your bread machine. So, let’s get started and hop into the kitchen!
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Recipe 1: Classic Easter Bread
Ingredients:
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups bread flour
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup candied fruit peel
Instructions:
- Add all the ingredients except for the raisins and candied fruit peel to your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the dough setting and start the machine.
- When the dough cycle is complete, remove the dough from the machine and place it on a floured surface. Knead in the raisins and candied fruit peel until evenly distributed.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Punch down the dough and shape it into a round loaf. Place it on a greased baking sheet or in a greased round cake pan. Cover and let it rise again until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.
Nutritional Information:
- Serving size: 1 slice (1/12 of the loaf)
- Calories: 270
- Total fat: 6g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Cholesterol: 57mg
- Sodium: 273mg
- Total carbohydrates: 47g
- Dietary fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 14g
- Protein: 7g
Cooking Time:
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 30-35 minutes
- Total time: 2 hours
Equipment:
- Bread machine
- Baking sheet or round cake pan
Serving Suggestions:
- Slice and serve with butter or jam for breakfast or brunch.
- Make French toast with leftover slices.
- Cut into cubes and use in bread pudding.
Variations:
- Replace the raisins and candied fruit peel with chocolate chips for a sweeter bread.
- Add 1 tsp of ground cinnamon for a spiced Easter bread.
- Brush the top of the bread with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar before baking for a crunchy crust.
Substitutions:
- Replace the bread flour with all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour.
- Use dried cranberries or chopped dried apricots instead of raisins.
- Replace the candied fruit peel with chopped nuts or dried cherries.
Storage:
- Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Freeze leftover bread in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Tips:
- Make sure your milk is warm, but not too hot. If it’s too hot, it can kill the yeast.
- If you don’t have candied fruit peel, you can use orange zest instead.
- If you don’t have a round cake pan, you can shape the dough into a braid or a wreath and bake it on a baking sheet.
FAQs:
Q: Can I use a different type of flour?
A: Yes, you can use all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour instead of bread flour. However, the texture of the bread may be slightly different.
Q: Can I use a different type of fruit?
A: Yes, you can use dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, or chopped nuts instead of raisins and candied fruit peel.
Recipe 2: Lemon Blueberry Easter Bread
Ingredients:
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp salt
- 4 cups bread flour
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 2 tbsp lemon zest
Instructions:
- Add all the ingredients except for the blueberries and lemon zest to your bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Select the dough setting and start the machine.
- When the dough cycle is complete, remove the dough from the machine and place it on a floured surface. Knead in the blueberries and lemon zest until evenly distributed.
- Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a greased bowl. Cover and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Punch down the dough and shape it into a round loaf. Place it on a greased baking sheet or in a greased round cake pan. Cover and let it rise again until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the bread for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack.
Nutritional Information:
- Serving size: 1 slice (1/12 of the loaf)
- Calories: 262
- Total fat: 6g
- Saturated fat: 3g
- Cholesterol: 57mg
- Sodium: 273mg
- Total carbohydrates: 45g
- Dietary fiber: 1g
- Sugars: 10g
- Protein: 7g
Cooking Time:
- Prep time: 15 minutes
- Cook time: 30-35 minutes
- Total time: 2 hours
Equipment:
- Bread machine
- Baking sheet or round cake pan
Serving Suggestions:
- Slice and serve with butter or cream cheese for breakfast or brunch.
- Make French toast with leftover slices.
- Cut into cubes and use in bread pudding.
Variations:
- Replace the blueberries with raspberries or blackberries.
- Add 1 tsp of ground cinnamon for a spiced Easter bread.
- Drizzle with a lemon glaze made with powdered sugar and lemon juice.
Substitutions:
- Replace the bread flour with all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour.
- Use frozen blueberries instead of fresh.
- Replace the lemon zest with orange or lime zest.
Storage:
- Store leftover bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.