Appropriate age groups for this Easter celebration or activity:
Elementary School
Middle School
High School & Beyond

Description of Easter celebration or activity:
Bake Bread Together! :

3 c. all purpose flour

1/4 c. sugar

1 package active dry yeast

1 tsp. salt

2/3 c. warm milk (120-130 degrees F)

2 Tbsp. butter, softened

*7 eggs

1/2 c. mixed candied fruit, chopped (optional)

1/2 c. blanched almonds, chopped (optional)

1/2 tsp. anise seed (optional)OR 2 tsp. grated orange rind

vegetable oil

Coarse Sugar (for sprinkling on top)

Setting up and preparing for this celebration or activity:
In mixing bowl, combine 1 c. flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Add milk and butter; beat for 2 minutes on medium speed.

Add *2 eggs and 1/2 c. flour; beat for 2 min. on high. Stir in fruit, nuts, and anise seed/orange peel; mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form soft dough.

Turn onto lightly floured board; knead until smooth (6-8 minutes). Place in a greased bowl; turn once.

Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. Color the remaining eggs (leave uncooked!); lightly rub with oil. Punch down dough; divide in half; roll each piece into 24 inch rope.

Loosely twist ropes together; place on greased baking sheet (pizza pan works well!) and form into ring. Pinch ends together. Gently split ropes apart, tucking eggs into opening(s) at twist(s).

Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

Brush lightly with water, and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30-35 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.

Other suggestions or comments:
If you are dying hard-cooked eggs the same day (as we did), be sure the kids don't mix up the hardcooked eggs with the raw eggs that are destined for the bread, AND be sure to color the Raw eggs last. You may wish to color a couple of extra eggs, in case of breakage; if they are not needed, put an X on the raw ones, and refrigerate 'em for future use.

When the bread was done, the eggs were beautifully cooked, with the purest yellow yolks I've ever seen. Awesome! ;-)
The bread is a real part of a meal, and not just something 'pretty' for the table.

Leftovers should not be a problem...but as with any 'real' Easter eggs, ya gotta refrigerate 'em promptly.

The bread is really best made and eaten Same Day. I am thinkin' the dough should adapt to being refrigerated overnight...but have not yet tried it out. This would be excellent accompaniment to a home-baked ham, or brunch menu.

There's a Greek Easter Bread on this page as well, which is very, very similar. I was hesitant to make it with real eggs, fearing nasty overcooked eggs w/green yolks...but using raw eggs does work! Color me surprised ;-) So, the 'braid the egg in' method (vs. jelly bean decoration) could be applied to that recipe as well. It was a sweeter version; both are good.

I didn't use the nuts, anise, or candied fruit, 'cuz my kids are Spooky about too many textures and flavors at once. The grated orange rind added scent that could be appreciated even in the kneading process, and added a fine flavor.

Adaptable to bread machines, but don't double the recipe
;-)