Lemon Easter Bread

Name: Lemon Easter Bread
Prep time: 50 min
Total time: 4 h 15 min
Yield: 16
Ingredients: 2 3/4 to 3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour; 1/3 cup granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 package regular active or fast-acting dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons); 2/3 cup very warm milk (120°F to 130°F); 1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened; 2 teaspoons grated Meyer or regular lemon peel; 2 eggs, beaten; 1 egg white, beaten; 1/2 cup powdered sugar; 1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice; Colored Easter eggs, if desired

50 Minutes Prep4 Hours 15 Minutes Total
16 Servings
170 Calories per Serving

Filled with refreshing lemon flavor, this beautiful braided Easter bread will make an impressive centerpiece for your table.

Ingredient List

Bread

2 3/4 to 3 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 package regular active or fast-acting dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
2/3 cup very warm milk (120°F to 130°F)
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 teaspoons grated Meyer or regular lemon peel
2 eggs, beaten

Topping

1 egg white, beaten
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Colored Easter eggs, if desired

Preparation

In large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the granulated sugar, salt and yeast. Add warm milk, butter and lemon peel. Beat with electric mixer on low speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Beat on medium speed 1 minute, scraping bowl frequently. Add eggs; beat until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.
Place dough on lightly floured surface. Knead about 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and springy. Grease large bowl with shortening. Place dough in bowl, turning dough to grease all sides. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap, and let rise in warm place 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until dough has doubled in size. Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched.
Grease large cookie sheet. Punch down dough. Divide dough into 2 pieces. On lightly floured surface, roll each piece into 26-inch-long rope. On cookie sheet, place ropes close together. Twist loosely; pinch ends together to form circle. Cover loosely with plastic wrap lightly sprayed with cooking spray; let rise in warm place until almost double in size, about 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350°F. Brush beaten egg white over bread. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cover with foil if it gets too brown after 15 minutes baking. Cool about 30 minutes.
In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and lemon juice until well blended; drizzle over bread using spoon. Top with sprinkles, if desired. Place colored eggs in center.

Tips

Meyer lemons are slightly sweeter than regular lemons. If you can’t find a Meyer lemon, you can substitute regular lemon. If you like orange, you can substitute orange peel and juice in place of the lemon.
You can refrigerate the dough up to 24 hours in step 2 before it rises; place in resealable food-storage plastic bag. When ready to continue, allow dough to rise in step 2 about 1 1/2 hours.

Nutrition Information

Daily Values (Amount per serving)

Total Fat 4g 6%, Saturated Fat 2g 11%, Cholesterol 30mg 11%, Sodium 190mg 8%, Potassium 55mg 2%, Total Carbohydrate 29g 10%, Dietary Fiber 0g 0%, Vitamin A 2%, Vitamin C 0%, Calcium 2%, Iron 6%, Vitamin D 4%, Vitamin E 0%, Thiamin 15%, Riboflavin 10%, Niacin 8%, Vitamin B6 0%, Folic Acid 10%, Vitamin B12 2%, Pantothenic Acid 2%, Phosphorus 4%, Magnesium 0%, Zinc 2%, Selenium 15%, Copper 0%, Manganese 8%

Other Nutrients (Amount per serving)

Calories 170, Calories from Fat 35, Trans Fat 0g, Monounsaturated Fat 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0g, Soluble Fiber 0g, Insoluble Fiber 0g, Sugars 12g, Protein 3g, Beta-Carotene 0%, Omega-3 0g, Carbohydrate Choice 2, Starch 1, Fruit 0, Other Carbohydrate 1, Skim Milk 0, Low-Fat Milk 0, Milk 0, Vegetable 0, Very Lean Meat 0, Lean Meat 0, Medium-Fat Meat 0, High-Fat Meat 0, Fat 1/2, Fruits 0c, Vegetables 0c, Grains 1oz-eq, Meat & Beans 0oz-eq, Dairy 0c, Fats & Oils 1tsp