Chef John's Easter Bread

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar
• 1/4 cup warm water (100 degrees f/38 degrees c)
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons anise extract
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon extract
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon anise seed
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/4 cup milk
• 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided

Recipe

Preparation Time: 40 mins Cook Time: 20 mins Ready Time: 15 hrs


• 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 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.

anise buckwheat bread

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 1/3 cup buckwheat groats
• 2/3 cup water
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup bread flour
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoon anise seed
• 1 1/2 cups bread flour

Recipe

Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 45 mins Ready Time: 3 hrs 30 mins


• place the buckwheat groats and 2/3 cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. reduce the heat to low, and simmer the buckwheat until the grains have softened, about 10 minutes. remove from the heat and set aside.
• whisk together the yeast, 1/2 cup of water, and 1/2 cup of bread flour in a bowl, and let stand until the mixture is frothy, about 10 minutes.
• in a separate large bowl, stir together the 1/2 cup of water with vegetable oil, honey, salt, whole wheat flour, and anise seed to make a thick, smooth batter. mix in the yeast mixture and the cooled buckwheat groats. stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups of bread flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing in each addition before adding the next.
• turn the dough out a floured work surface, and knead until the dough is firm, smooth, and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes. form the dough into a compact ball, and place into an oiled bowl, turning the dough in the bowl to coat with oil. cover the bowl with a cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• punch down the dough, form into a loaf, and place seam side down into a greased 9x5 inch bread pan. cover the pan with a cloth, and allow to rise until nearly doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.
• preheat oven to 375 degrees f (190 degrees c).
• bake the bread in the preheated oven until the top is lightly golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when thumped, about 35 minutes. allow to cool before slicing.

banana banana bread

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Ready Time: 1 hr 20 mins


• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c). lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• in a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. in a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
• bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out a wire rack.

banana banana bread

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 1/3 cups mashed overripe bananas

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 5 mins

Ready Time: 1 hr 20 mins


• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c). lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
• in a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. in a separate bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. stir in eggs and mashed bananas until well blended. stir banana mixture into flour mixture; stir just to moisten. pour batter into prepared loaf pan.
• bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of the loaf comes out clean. let bread cool in pan for 10 minutes, then turn out a wire rack.

baked doughnuts

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup powdered milk
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 cup unsweetened apple juice concentrate, thawed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins Ready Time: 30 mins


• preheat oven to 325 degrees f (165 degrees c). lightly grease the doughnut pan with cooking spray.
• in a large bowl, stir together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, powdered milk, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. make a well in the center and pour in the eggs, honey, apple juice concentrate and vanilla. mix until well blended. fill each depression in the prepared doughnut pan 2/3 full with batter.
• bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched. allow doughnuts to cool before removing from pan.

honey bunch bread

Ingredients

• Servings: 3
• 2 3/4 cups warm water (110 degrees f/45 degrees c)
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 6 cups all-purpose flour, or more as needed

Recipe

Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 40 mins Ready Time: 3 hrs 40 mins


• stir warm water and honey together in a bowl until honey dissolves. sprinkle yeast over water mixture and let stand until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam, about 5 minutes.
• stir oil and salt into yeast mixture. mix 3 cups of flour into yeast mixture until no dry spots remain. stir in remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition, until dough is no longer sticky and pulls together. continue kneading for 5 minutes in a stand mixer or 10 minutes by hand.
• place dough in a large, lightly-oiled bowl and turn to coat. cover bowl with a towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 hour.
• punch down dough and let rise again until doubled in volume, about 45 minutes.
• grease three 9x5-inch loaf pans.
• punch down dough and turn a lightly floured surface. form dough into 3 loaves and place into prepared pans. cover loaves with a damp cloth and let rise until dough is about 1 inch above the sides of the loaf pans, about 45 minutes.
• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).
• bake in preheated oven until tops are golden brown and the bottoms of loaves sound hollow when tapped, about 40 minutes. remove loaves from pans and transfer to a cooling rack.

Bara Brith

Ingredients

• Servings: 1
• 1 cup hot brewed tea
• 3/4 cup dried currants
• 3/4 cup golden raisins
• 3/4 cup demerara sugar
• 1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
• 1 egg, beaten

Recipe

Preparation Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 40 mins Ready Time: 8 hrs 45 mins


• pour hot tea over currants and raisins in a bowl; soak 8 hours to overnight.
• preheat oven to 350 degrees f (175 degrees c).
• grease a sheet of parchment paper and use it to line a 2-pound loaf pan.
• stir demerara sugar into tea and fruit mixture until dissolved completely.
• mix flour and egg into the tea and fruit mixture until completely integrated into a batter.
• spread batter evenly into the prepared bread pan.
• bake in preheated oven until golden-brown, about 40 minutes. cool in the bread pan 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.