Chef Johns Easter Bread Recipes

Steps:

• Whisk bread flour, water, and milk for starter together in a small saucepan until very smooth. Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring often, until very thick and just about to bubble. If you want to check, it should be at least 150 degrees F (65 degrees C). Pull off the heat and transfer into a measuring cup; you will need exactly 1/2 cup. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• Prepare dough: Combine bread flour, cooled starter, salt, sugar, yeast, warm milk, and egg in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Beat on low speed until dough begins to form a ball and pull away from the sides of the bowl, scraping down the sides as needed, about 5 minutes.
• Stop the mixer and scrape dough off the hook and into the bowl. Add butter and knead on low speed until dough is slightly tacky but very smooth and elastic, scraping down the sides as needed, 10 to 12 more minutes.
• Remove dough from the bowl and shape into a smooth ball. Transfer into a lightly buttered bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Very generously butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan.
• Transfer dough to a work surface (you don't need flour.) Press and knead out all the air and shape into a 9-inch wide rectangle. Starting at one 9-inch side, roll dough lengthwise into a log. Transfer log into the prepared loaf pan with the seam down. Press on dough a bit to be sure it's evenly distributed. Cover the pan and let dough rise until it comes to just about the top of the pan, 35 to 45 minutes.
• Brush the top of the loaf with just enough milk to lightly coat the surface.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until the top is golden brown and the load is beautifully puffed up, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and let rest in the pan for 10 minutes. Very carefully remove bread and place on a wire rack to cool all the way to room temperature before slicing, about 1 hour.

Steps:

• Pour warm milk into a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook. Sprinkle yeast on top and let dissolve until a few small bubbles begin to a form, 10 to 15 minutes. Add beaten egg, sugar, vinegar, baking soda, salt, cayenne, flour, and butter.
• Knead on low speed until dough begins to come together. Increase speed slightly and knead about 3 minutes more. Use a spatula to scrape the sides clean and gather the dough into the center. Cover and let rise until doubled in volume, 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Butter a spatula and a loaf pan. Scrape the dough into the pan using the spatula. Smooth out the top to distribute dough evenly. Dust the top with flour and press gently to even out the dough. Let rise in pan for 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Use a sharp knife or razor to cut a deep slash lengthwise through the center of the loaf. You may need to go over it several times. Brush the top with most of the melted butter.
• Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes.
• Brush hot loaf with remaining butter. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in warm water in a large bowl. Let stand until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 10 minutes.
• Whisk 3/4 cup sugar, eggs, oil, anise extract, lemon zest, lemon extract, salt, and anise seed together in a bowl.
• Pour egg mixture, melted butter, and milk into yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add 4 cups flour, 1 cup at time, stirring after each addition.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding remaining 1/2 cup flour as necessary, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Coat a large bowl with oil. Place dough in bowl and turn to coat. Place a damp cloth over the bowl, place bowl in the oven with the oven light on, and let rise until doubled in size, 12 hours or overnight.
• Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
• Punch dough down and divide into four equal portions. Divide each portion into three ropes. Braid each set of three dough ropes to form four small braided loaves. Transfer loaves to prepared baking sheets, 2 per sheet, and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake bread in the preheated oven until the tops are golden and the bottom of the loaves sound hollow when tapped, 20 to 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast and 1/2 teaspoon white sugar in warm water in a large bowl. Let stand until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 10 minutes.
• Whisk 3/4 cup white sugar, eggs, oil, anise extract, lemon zest, lemon extract, salt, and anise seed together in a bowl.
• Pour egg mixture, melted butter, and 1/4 cup milk into yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add 4 cups flour, 1 cup at time, stirring after each addition.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding remaining 1/2 cup flour as necessary, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Coat a large bowl with oil. Place dough in bowl and turn to coat. Place a damp cloth over the bowl, place bowl in the oven with the oven light on, and let rise until doubled in size, 12 hours or overnight.
• Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
• Punch dough down and divide into four equal portions. Divide each portion into three ropes. Braid each set of three dough ropes to form four small braided loaves.
• Transfer loaves to prepared baking sheets, 2 per sheet, and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake bread in the preheated oven until the tops are golden and the bottom of the loaves sound hollow when tapped, 20 to 25 minutes.
• To make icing, combine powdered sugar, lemon juice, grated lemon zest, 1 tablespoon milk and food coloring. Stir until smooth.
• Glaze loaves on a cooling rack with a sheet pan or foil underneath to catch the drips.

Steps:

• Dissolve yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in warm water in a large bowl. Let stand until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 10 minutes.
• Whisk 3/4 cup sugar, eggs, oil, anise extract, lemon zest, lemon extract, salt, and anise seed together in a bowl.
• Pour egg mixture, melted butter, and milk into yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add 4 cups flour, 1 cup at time, stirring after each addition.
• Turn dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding remaining 1/2 cup flour as necessary, 5 to 6 minutes.
• Coat a large bowl with oil. Place dough in bowl and turn to coat. Place a damp cloth over the bowl, place bowl in the oven with the oven light on, and let rise until doubled in size, 12 hours or overnight.
• Line 2 baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
• Punch dough down and divide into four equal portions. Divide each portion into three ropes. Braid each set of three dough ropes to form four small braided loaves. Transfer loaves to prepared baking sheets, 2 per sheet, and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake bread in the preheated oven until the tops are golden and the bottom of the loaves sound hollow when tapped, 20 to 25 minutes.