Easter Bread — Because We Are a Household That Bakes for Our Holidays

St. Patrick's Day. Steve's corned beef. My soda bread for the third year in a row, the dense caraway version that I have made well enough now that people ask me for the recipe, and I give it freely because recipes belong to everyone. Ryan was home this year — a Wednesday, his day off — and he ate corned beef with the reverence he reserves for Irish-American food traditions, which are different from but compatible with Polish-American food traditions, which are the traditions of this household.

Owen helped me make the soda bread on Wednesday morning. I say "helped" in the sense that he stood on his stepping stool at the counter and watched me measure and mix and handed me things when I asked, which is a level of helping that is authentic and meaningful and also involves me keeping one eye on the bowl at all times. He is two years old and he knows the word "bake" and he associates it with good things happening in the kitchen, which is the right association.

Nora has decided she does not like corned beef. This is fine. This is exactly the kind of opinion she is entitled to. She ate the cabbage and the potatoes and the soda bread and held the corned beef in her mouth for a moment before removing it with the expression of someone who has completed a fair assessment. She does not like corned beef. I respect this. I did not eat corned beef until I was nine. We will try again next year.

The school year has three months left. The students I referred in the fall for evaluations are in various stages of the process. Darius is being evaluated. I have submitted everything I can submit and now I wait, which is the hardest part of this work: the waiting while the system moves at its own pace. I do what I can do. I show up every day. I keep the room safe. This is what I have.

We are, apparently, a family that marks our holidays with bread. The soda bread was dense and caraway and exactly right for St. Patrick’s Day, and now Easter is coming, and Owen has not forgotten what “bake” means or what it leads to. This Easter Bread is the kind of project that rewards the patience required — the kind of baking where the house smells like warmth before it’s even done, which is the whole point, which is always the point.

Easter Bread

Prep Time: 30 min + 2 hrs rising | Cook Time: 30 min | Total Time: 3 hrs | Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 packet (2 1/4 tsp) active dry yeast
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp anise extract (optional)
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 1 egg + 1 tbsp water (for egg wash)
• Sprinkles or colored sugar for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Activate the yeast. Combine warm water and a pinch of sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle in the yeast and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
2. Mix the dough. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Make a well in the center and add the warm milk, softened butter, eggs, vanilla, anise extract (if using), lemon zest, and the activated yeast mixture. Stir until a shaggy dough forms.
3. Knead. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic, adding flour 1 tbsp at a time as needed. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
4. First rise. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean towel or plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until doubled in size.
5. Shape. Punch down dough and divide into three equal pieces. Roll each piece into a 24-inch rope. Braid the three ropes together and pinch the ends to seal. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and form into a round or leave as a straight braid.
6. Second rise. Cover loosely and let rise another 30–45 minutes, until puffed.
7. Preheat oven. Heat oven to 350°F while the dough completes its second rise.
8. Apply egg wash. Whisk together 1 egg and 1 tbsp water. Brush gently over the entire loaf. Sprinkle with colored sugar or sprinkles if desired.
9. Bake. Bake 28–32 minutes, until deep golden brown and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil after 20 minutes.
10. Cool. Let rest on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 220 | Protein: 6g | Fat: 5g | Carbs: 37g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 115mg