Delicious Almond Easter Bread Recipe

Ingredients

• 0.5 cup warm water - 100 to 110 degrees F (40 to 45 degrees C)
• 0.5 teaspoon white sugar
• 2 (.25 ounce) envelopes dry yeast
• 4.5 cups sifted all purpose flour, divided
• 0.75 cup milk
• 2 eggs eggs
• 0.33 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound stick butter
• 1 (12.5 ounce) can almond cake and pastry filling (not almond paste)
• 0.5 cup butter, softened
• 0.5 cup white sugar
• 6 dyed hard-cooked Easter eggs
• 0.5 cup sliced almonds, divided
• 2 tablespoons white sugar

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, dissolve ½ teaspoon sugar in water; add yeast and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes until frothy and creamy. Mix in 3 cups flour, milk, 2 eggs, ⅓ cup sugar, and salt; use an electric mixer for about 3 minutes until combined. Add the remaining 1 ½ cups flour and beat until the dough is shiny and elastic, approximately 5 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Place 2 cups of butter sticks, spaced 1 inch apart, between two large sheets of waxed paper; roll into a 12x12-inch square. Transfer the butter (still in waxed paper) to a baking sheet; freeze for 15 minutes.
3. Place the dough on a floured surface and sprinkle with flour; roll into an 18x18-inch square. Remove any excess flour. Peel off one sheet of waxed paper from the butter square; place the butter diagonally in the center of the dough (butter-side down) so that it resembles a diamond on a square. Remove the remaining waxed paper. Fold the dough corners over the butter square like an envelope, completely covering it; press the seams to seal.
4. On a floured surface, roll the dough (seam-side down) into a 12x24-inch rectangle. Fold the dough in half to create a 12x12-inch square; then fold in half again to form a 6x12-inch square. Chill for about 5 minutes. Roll the dough into a 12x24-inch rectangle; repeat the folding process as described above, creating a 12x12-inch square, then a 6x12-inch square. Chill for another 5 minutes. Repeat the rolling and folding one more time. Refrigerate the dough for 1 hour or overnight.
5. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
6. In a bowl, combine the almond filling, ½ cup of softened butter, and ½ cup of sugar; set the filling aside.
7. Divide the dough in half. Roll out one piece of dough on a floured surface into a 30x9-inch rectangle; cut into three 30x3-inch strips. Spread ½ of the filling down the center of each strip. Fold the strips lengthwise over the filling; pinch the dough to seal it.
8. Braid the ropes together and arrange the braid into a coil. Pinch the end to close. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.
9. Place the pastries on the prepared baking sheets; insert 3 hard-cooked eggs evenly between the braids on each pastry. Brush the pastries all over (including the eggs) with the remaining beaten egg; sprinkle with sliced almonds and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
10. Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 40 to 45 minutes.

Nutrition

• Calories: 799 kcal
• Fat Content: 53 g
• Fiber Content: 3 g
• Sugar Content: 28 g
• Sodium Content: 525 mg
• Protein Content: 14 g
• Cholesterol Content: 255 mg
• Carbohydrate Content: 68 g
• Saturated Fat Content: 27 g
• Unsaturated Fat Content: 0 g