This Polish Easter egg bread recipe came from a friend and is fantastic. I was in Poland in August and enjoyed the bread there, so I was glad to receive the recipe. Everyone asks me for it.
Preparation Details
Prep Time: 40 mins
Cook Time: 35 mins
Total Time: 3 hrs 45 mins
Servings: 30
Ingredients
- 5 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
- 2 cups lukewarm water (about 110 degrees F/43 degrees C), divided
- 4 cups whole milk
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups superfine sugar
- 10 large eggs, room temperature
- 5 pounds bread flour
Steps
- Dissolve yeast in 1 cup lukewarm water in a bowl. Let stand until yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, bring milk to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Remove from heat; add remaining 1 cup lukewarm water, butter, and 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt; stir until butter melts. Stir in sugar until dissolved.
- Cool milk mixture until lukewarm, then stir in dissolved yeast mixture.
- Beat eggs in a separate bowl until combined. Whisk milk mixture into eggs; gradually mix in flour.
- Transfer dough to a floured work surface; divide in half, using a serrated knife. Shape each half into a ball; place dough balls into 2 large greased bowls. Cover with greased plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place for about 1 ½ hours.
- Lightly grease 3 baking sheets or line with parchment paper. Turn dough balls out onto a well-floured surface. Divide each dough ball into 3 equal pieces (6 pieces total); form each piece into a ball. (Dough will be very sticky and soft at this point.) Keep covered with greased plastic wrap.
- Working with one ball at a time, divide 1 dough ball into 3 equal pieces. Form each piece into 3 ropes; braid together and place onto half of 1 prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining 5 dough balls. You should be able to fit 2 braided loaves per baking sheet. Cover loaves loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for about 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
- Bake in the preheated oven until hollow-sounding when tapped on top of loaves, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool before slicing.
