Easter Lemon Bread Recipes

LEMON EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, pudding mix, eggs and 3 cups flour; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Shape into loaves. Place in two greased 8x4-in. loaf pans. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. , Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool.

GREEK EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• Pour 1/3 cup water that is hot to the touch (about 110 degrees F) into the bowl of a stand mixer. Gently whisk in the yeast, 1 tablespoon of the flour and 1 tablespoon of the sugar. Cover with a towel and set aside until bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes (depending on the temperature of the room).
• Meanwhile, heat the milk in small saucepan over medium heat until bubbles start to form around the edges, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, remaining sugar and salt. Set aside to cool, about 5 minutes.
• Using the paddle attachment, stir the milk mixture into the yeast mixture. Stir in the 2 beaten eggs. Gradually mix in the remaining flour, fennel seed and almond extract, and beat until a soft dough forms. Increase the speed to medium-high, and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides and forms a ball, about 5 minutes (the dough will be sticky).
• Remove the dough from the bowl and place on a lightly floured surface. Knead, adding more flour as needed, until the dough is as smooth as a baby's bottom, about 5 minutes.
• Put in a lightly buttered bowl, cover and place in a warm spot to rise until doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Punch down the dough.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Place the dough on the surface and cut into three equal parts. Gently roll out each piece into a 16-inch-long rope. Line a wide-lipped cookie sheet with parchment paper. Transfer the ropes to the prepared sheet. Press the ropes together at one end and braid loosely. Arrange the braid in a circle. Press the ends of the dough together. Gently stretch the circle to make it 10 inches across and the hole in the middle 3 1/2 inches across. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Rub the eggs with a little vegetable oil, and then buff with a paper towel. Gently press the eggs into the dough, evenly spaced. Cover and set aside until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Brush the bread with the remaining beaten egg. Bake until the loaf is dark golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, about 45 minutes. Cool about 30 minutes before slicing.

EASTER LEMON BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour 2 loaf pans.
• Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
• Beat the butter and 2 1/2 cups sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color. Add the room-temperature eggs one at a time, allowing each egg to blend into the butter mixture before adding the next. Beat in the almond extract with the last egg.
• Pour in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in the lemon zest and chopped walnuts, mixing just enough to evenly combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pans.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the loaves are very lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean, 60 to 70 minutes.
• Mix the lemon juice with the 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Pour the lemon glaze over the hot cakes; allow to stand for 10 minutes before removing cakes from the pans. Cool before serving.

EASTER BREAD IN THE BREAD MACHINE

Steps:

• Mix according to your manufactures instructions.
• Adding the anise seeds after first kneading and signal.
• Add flour if needed or drop of milk if needed upon mixture, to form a nice soft ball of dough.
• Place on sweet bread setting dark crust.

LEMON BREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in eggs, lemon zest and juice. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually stir into creamed mixture alternately with milk, beating well after each addition. , Pour into a greased 8x4-in. loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Combine glaze ingredients; immediately drizzle over bread. Serve warm.