Recipe

Russian Easter Bread Recipe

Add Step-by-Step Photos	Noir / All my dishes 7 months ago One of my favorites. It may take a little trouble, but it is fun to make with the kids! They'll love the results and so will you! Enjoy! :) Prep:240m Cook:35m Servings:24	Noir
	best easter bread

Does this look good? Yeah! / Nope

Fans

smooch

shuga

pink

berry

Ingredients

4 1/2 to 5 cups unsifted all-purpose flour

2 packages fast-rising yeast

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine

1 cup water

3 large eggs

1/2 cup dark seedless raisins

1/4 cup chopped, blanched almonds

1 tablespoon grated lemon peel

Icing:

1 cup confectioners sugar

3 to 4 teaspoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon multicolor decorations (optional)

**It is traditional to make the design XB meaning "Christ is risen" on top of each of these little towering loaves**

Directions

Combine 3 1/2 cups flour, yeast, granulated sugar and salt. Melt butter; add water and heat.

Beat hot liquid and eggs into flour mixture until smooth. Stir in raisins, almonds and lemon peel. With hands, gradually mix in enough of remaining flour to make dough stiff enough to leave side of bowl. Knead dough 5 to 10 minutes. Place in a lightly greased, large bowl; cover and let rise until almost double, 30 to 45 minutes.

Grease well 3 (1-pound) coffee cans. Divide dough into 3 equal parts; shape each part into a smooth ball. Place each ball in a can. Cover; let dough rise until double in bulk and slightly above tops of cans, 45 to 50 minutes.

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake loaves on lowest rack of oven 30 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown. Place on wire racks; cool 5 minutes.

Remove from cans; finish cooling on wire racks.

Icing... Combine confectioners sugar and enough lemon juice to make mixture smooth and spoonable. Spread icing over tops of warm loaves; drizzle some down sides. Sprinkle with decorations.

To serve, cut each loaf crosswise into 15 (1/2-inch) slices. Nice served with whipped butter.

Makes 3 loaves.

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