Sweet Easter Bread

Easter is by and large my favorite holiday. It is the one that means the most to me. It is all about love and reminds us that we are enough. We only have ourselves to give others and the gifts we have been humbly blessed with. My gift or talent is teaching others-in the kitchen and in the classroom. This recipe is the first one I was ever taught to make by my husband’s grandmother. It is one that is very special to me and one that I have been entrusted to make each year! Ingredients:

• 1 ½ cup – luke warm whole milk

• 1 tbsp. – active dry yeast

• 1 ¼ cup – granulated white sugar

• 4 - large eggs (room temperature)

• 4 oz. – unsalted butter (melted and cooled)

• ½ tsp. – salt

• 1 tsp. – vanilla extract

• 6-8 cups – all-purpose flour My favorite is King Arthur brand.

• 2 cups – golden raisins

Egg Wash:

• 1 - large egg

• 1 tbsp. - whipping cream

Instructions:

1. Place 2 cups of raisins into a bowl. Pour boiling water until the water covers the raisins. Let it soak for 15 minutes. Then drain the water and rinse the raisins. Set aside until ready for use.

2. Next, heat milk in the microwave for about 1.5 minutes. Add ¼ cup of sugar and stir well until the sugar is dissolved.

3. Sprinkle yeast over milk, stir it in, and set it aside in a warm place to proof for 15 minutes. It wi foam and rise.

4. Melt butter and set it aside to cool.

5. In the electric mixer bowl, beat eggs and sugar on high for 10 minutes or until foamy and pale yellow in color.

6. Reduce mixing speed to low and mix in the yeast mixture.

7. Continue mixing on low while adding salt and vanilla extract.

8. Then add melted butter, continue to mix.

9. Finally, add raisins, switch to dough hook attachment, and add flour 1 cup at a time until dough is no longer sticky. (It takes about 15 minutes for the dough to form well.)

Dough Rising Time

1. Let the dough rise in a warm environment for 2 hours.

How to make the braid:

1. After the dough tripled in volume, transfer it onto a working surface (I use a large cutting board) dusted with flour. Split the dough in half.

2. Take one-half of the dough and roll into a log again. Split it into four equal pieces.

3. Roll each of the four smaller pieces into thin, long logs (about 1.5-foot-long and 1 inch thick).

4. Pinch the ends of all four thin logs together.

5. Braid them into a nice and even braid as it is shown in the picture (I have video instructions on my Instagram account under Easter Bread bubble on how to make and braid this bread).

6. Pinch the opposite end of the braided loaf together, then place on a greased pan.

Egg Wash:

1. Using a hand whisk, whisk egg, and milk together until all incorporated.

2. Brush the egg wash generously over the top of the challah.

3. Repeat the same steps with the second half of the dough.

4. Let the braided challah's rise in a warm place for another 45 minutes to an hour. It will expand nicely and close the gaps.

Baking Time:

1. Heat the oven to 350 F. Bake each pan for 25 minutes or both pans for 30 minutes rotating them 10 minutes before baking time ends.

2. Remove from the oven and let them cool for 15 minutes before removing from pan.

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