Saturday, April 26, 2014

Weekend Cooking: Easter Bread, in Photos

Many happy childhood memories began in my grandmother's kitchen. Every spring I looked forward to helping her bake our traditional Easter Bread. She used an old family recipe which came with her from Italy. Over the years, I have taken on the role of official Easter Bread baker. A day or two before Easter, I get up early to begin the process - mix, rise, bake, cool, frost, deliver. This year I made plain loaves, but next year look for twisted loaves with pastel-colored Easter eggs.
















With inexact measurements and decades of scrawled notes and spills, this is not a recipe which can be easily shared. Basically, it's a sweet bread with golden raisins and citrus. I found a post offering more particulars at The Italian Dish. Have you ever made Easter Bread?



Weekend Cooking, hosted at Beth Fish Reads, is open to anyone who has any kind of food-related post to share: Book (novel, nonfiction) reviews, cookbook reviews, movie reviews, recipes, random thoughts, gadgets, quotations, photographs. If your post is even vaguely foodie, feel free to grab the button and link up anytime over the weekend. You do not have to post on the weekend. Please link to your specific post, not your blog's home page.

31 comments:

  1. Looks delicious…and complicated…I'm impressed!

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    1. Thanks, Sarah. It wouldn't be Easter without this bread!

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  2. How lucky you and your family are! I can't tell you how much I regret not cooking with my grandmother, so I could learn how she made the Ukrainian foods we loved so much (and miss so much). Her bread, which we called 'paska,' was probably very similar - yeasted, sweet, open-crumbed, raisins, no icing though!

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    1. Audrey - Some of her recipes have unfortunately been lost, but we've tried to record most of them. I think a family cookbook may be in order.

      I don't think you're on twitter much these days, but The Mount tweeted about a new kitchen exhibit opening this spring - What Would Edith Eat. I retweeted to you. Another visit may be in order!

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    2. No, I haven't been, but thank you! Edith and a kitchen is not to be missed! Want to go together?

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  3. I love your Easter bread and even more so because it came from your grandmother.

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    1. Diane - I guess we're both thinking about our grandmothers today :)

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  4. That looks so festive and delicious! I'll bet freshly grated orange and lemon peel makes all the difference in that recipe!

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    1. Laurie C - The citrus adds so much to this recipe. I evan add a little fiori di sicilia (from King Arthur) to the icing.

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    2. I use that secret ingredient too! I added some to the Orange Juice Bread I made recently, which called for freshly squeezed OJ and grated lemon and orange peel, I think.

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    3. Laurie C - I can't help but love King Arthur!

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  5. A lovely Easter tradition. Cheers from Carole's Chatter

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    1. Carole - I can't imagine Easter without the bread!

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  6. It looks really lovely. I'm having my coffee at the moment and wish I had a slice of it to go with it. Glad you had a happy Easter.

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    1. Thanks, Pam. My entire family loves this. It's very good toasted, too.

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  7. I've never made Easter bread but these look adorable and extra special being your grandmother's recipe.

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    1. Teddyree - One of the things I love about making Easter Bread is that it gives me plenty of time to think about my grandmother!

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  8. So many of my early food memories stem from my grandmother's kitchen too. How wonderful to be able to revert to those timeless traditions on festive occasions.

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    1. Couscous & Consciousness - Absolutely! I treasure all the memories from my grandmother's kitchen.

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  9. 8 loaves! Beautiful! I'm not a huge fan of breads that are sweet (raisins, lemon/orange zest, etc.), but these look delicious.

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    1. Les - This is my once-a-year sweet bread breakfast!

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  10. What a huge batch you made! They look great.

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    1. Louise - I usually deliver loaves to my parents, siblings, and a couple of friends.

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  11. I love Easter bread! And have made it many times You really went to town, and I love the glaze and sprinkles. I'll look for your braided version with eggs next year; I've always wanted to give that a try.

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    1. Beth - I've been meaning to try the braided version for years... next year I'll finally do it!

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  12. I do not know of 'Easter Bread' - they look lovely!

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    1. Care - A sweet ricotta pie with a sugar cookie-like crust an another tradition!

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  13. My gluten free self is drooling.

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  14. I'm with Ti, my gluten free palate wants some of that bread! Great memories, loved this post.

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    1. Tina - Oh, I'm sorry to torture my gluten-free friends :(

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