Chocolate Marbled Italian Easter Bread

There are some things you can’t get back.  The thrill of hunting for those plastic Easter eggs filled with jelly beans, occasionally quarters, sometimes peanut butter cups.  The absolute joy of finding an egg filled with treats… before you sister… and you don’t even have to share.  I remember once finding an old, well-hidden, forgotten plastic Easter egg in my grandfather’s workshop well after Easter… we’re talking mid July… and I thought I had won the lottery.  Nothing was better.  I think I’d literally have to win the lottery to create that feeling these days.  

Then again, some feelings you can get back (without winning the lottery) .  A slight vinegar smell reminds me of dying Easter eggs with my sisters and… WHY did we need so much newspaper on the kitchen table… did we really spill that much (probably).  

The excitement, adventure, and nerves  of baking something new.  The familiar smell of brioche type bread in the oven.  

It’s all happening.  Italian Easter bread, though traditionally it’s also Greek Easter Bread.  I added chocolate, because… chocolate.  

First: dye six raw eggs.  Yes, raw.  Be careful not to bounce them around.  We’re keeping them raw so they baking in the oven with the bread.  

I stumbled upon a Paas Easter dying kit that had some modern / mod colors.  I’ve also found that using brown eggs creates a richer color.  You might also try more natural dyes like The Kitchn, but I didn’t have the best luck with this route.  Likely more my mistakes than anything else.  

I dyed my eggs the night before making this rich Easter bread.  The think-ahead moves makes assembling the bread a bit easier. 

Yeast in warm milk with a sprinkle of sugar gets us on our way.  We’re baking!

The milky yeast mixture is given time, just five minutes or so, to activate.  

Into the mixing bowl with the milky yeast, beaten eggs, softened butter, brown sugar, salt and most of the flour.  

I find it helpful to bring the dough together, off of the stand mixer, with a spatula just to get things going with intention.  Then it’s five minutes on the mixer with a dough hook to knead and knead.    Do you need need need to have a stand mixer to bring this dough together?  Mostly yes.  Because it’s a softer, more wet dough… a mixer really is helpful. 

The dough will be fairly wet to start.  I added about 5 cups of flour total creating a slightly tacky but still soft dough.  

Chocolate chips are added towards the end of the dough-hook kneading.  

The dough is scraped from the sides of the bowl, sprinkled lightly with flour and covered to rest and rise. 

Look at this madness!

We’re really on to something.  

Risen, punched (not really punched though deflated), kneaded slightly, roughly divided in 12 mostly equal parts.  

Twelve: 1-inch thick, 14-inch long dough ropes.  For twisting.  

Twisting and rounding into a wreath aka, egg nest.  

•  Twisted
• Circled into wreathes
• Transferred to a lined baking sheet
• Nestled with a raw, dyed egg
• Brushed lightly with egg wash
• Sprinkled with sugar or colored sprinkles
• Time to BAKE! 

Stretchy, doughy bread.  Studded with chocolate.  Festive as ever with a perfectly cooked boiled egg in the center.  

It’s Easter!  We’re doing it right! 

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