Easter is the time when the whole family comes together at the table. Sweet baking specialties such as wreaths, nests, braids, sweet or savory pretzels, bunnies and other motif baked goods are particularly popular for Easter breakfast or brunch. For many connoisseurs, there is nothing nicer than a lukewarm homemade yeast pastry at Easter. At any time of day, but especially on Easter morning, it's worth getting hands on and making delicious pastries yourself. The basic recipe for sweet yeast dough can be imaginatively modified and used to create different figurative representations.
Make your own yeast pastries for Easter: basic recipe for sweet yeast dough
To prepare delicious yeast baked goods for Easter, you first and foremost need yeast. It is better to use high-quality fresh yeast rather than dry yeast. In principle, the fresh yeast can be replaced with dry yeast. 1 cube of fresh yeast (21 g) corresponds to 2 packets of dry yeast (2 x 7 g). As a rule, half a cube of fresh yeast or a packet of dry yeast is sufficient for 500 grams of flour. However, this amount can vary depending on the recipe and can be significantly less or more.
For a sweet yeast dough you need 40 - 50 grams of fresh yeast, about a kilogram of flour, 100 grams of sugar, 100 grams of butter, 325 milliliters of milk, an egg and a pinch of salt. First you have to dissolve the yeast with a teaspoon of sugar in a little warm milk (room temperature). First add about 1/2 of the flour into a large bowl and form a well in the middle. Then add the yeast with the milk into the well and stir carefully. In this way you prepare the so-called pre-dough. You need to let it rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes or an hour (longer is better). It is optimal if it throws bubbles. During this time you can warm the remaining milk a little and let the butter melt in it.
Once the dough has risen, you can add the remaining flour, the butter-milk mixture, the egg, the salt and the sugar and stir in. From this you knead a smooth dough, which has to rise a second time in a warm place. When it doubles in volume, it is already ready and can be shaped. To make a yeast plait for Easter, divide the entire dough into three portions and shape them into three rolls of equal length and thickness. You braid these into a braid and, if you wish, you can make a nest or a wreath out of it.
Classic yeast plait
Ingredients for 3 pieces:
- 1 cube of yeast
- 900 g Flour
- 400 ml milk
- 6 egg yolks
- 170g sugar
- 110 g Butter
- 1 pinch of salt
Mix the ingredients as in the basic recipe, then let the dough rise in a warm place. Then knead into a smooth dough, divide into three portions and form into three equal rolls. Then braid each roll into a thick braid and let it rise for at least 30 minutes. If desired, you can connect the two ends of the braid and form a wreath. Bake in a preheated oven at 180 °C for about 30 minutes. The yeast baked goods for Easter should turn golden brown and sound a little dull when tapped.
Small Easter wreaths
Ingredients for four pieces:
- 500 g Flour
- 1/2 cube fresh yeast
- 50g sugar
- 250 ml lukewarm milk
- 100 g soft butter
- 1 No
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 egg yolk, 1 tbsp milk, 1 tbsp sugar for brushing
- possibly flaked almonds to decorate
Prepare the pre-dough as in the basic recipe and let it rise for at least 15 minutes. Then mix the remaining ingredients such as butter, egg, salt, lemon peel, the remaining sugar and the remaining milk into a mixture in the food processor or with your hands. Let the dough rise for at least 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size. Then knead the dough and first quarter it on a floured surface and then divide each quarter into thirds. Roll it into 12 strands about 35 cm long and braid three strands each into a braid and form it into a wreath. Place the Easter wreaths on a baking tray lined with baking paper, cover with cling film and let rise for 20 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven, whisk together the egg yolk and milk and brush on the wreaths. Finally sprinkle with a little sugar and flaked almonds. Bake until golden, 20-25 minutes.
Easter bunnies made from yeast dough
You can easily make Easter braids and Easter wreaths from the sweet yeast dough. You can also bake beautiful Easter cookies with or without children. The easiest way to do this is to use cardboard cookie cutters or stencils. Then you cut out the motifs precisely from the dough and decorate them with raisins or nuts if desired. To ensure that the yeast pastries shine beautifully at Easter, whisk an egg yolk with a tablespoon of milk and brush the pastry with it. Here we presenta simple recipe for Easter bunniesfrom yeast dough.
Ingredients for about 15 bunnies (depending on size):
- 500 g Flour
- 1/2 cube fresh yeast
- 1 tsp sugar
- 250 ml lukewarm milk
- 70g sugar
- 1 No
- 70g butter, melted
- 1 pinch of salt
- Raisins and almond sticks to decorate
Easily shape bunnies with your hands: form two circles of dough for the head and body and two small pointed corners for ears. Optionally roll out the dough and cut it into strips. Form a loose cord with one strip at a time. Shape the ends into a point like ears and work a rabbit tail into the round end. Let them rise in a warm place, then brush the bunnies with a mixture of beaten egg yolk and milk. Bake in a preheated oven at around 160 °C for 20 minutes.
