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Cold Rising Easter Bread With Yeast And Yogurt – soft and buttery, sweet and delicious!
You guys might know that I’m obsessed with the sweet Bulgarian Easter Bread I make all the time. I recently tried a different recipe for a cold rising Easter bread and thought it will be a great idea to share it with you!
I don’t remember if I told you, but I also celebrate Greek Orthodox Easter, which is this Sunday (tomorrow). I’ll be baking breads and making a cake for the holiday today.
This whole week I’ve been busy spring cleaning and organizing my house and mostly my closet. I got rid of so many things I don’t need and it feels good!
But this whole cleaning thing totally messed up my blog posting schedule. Not that I don’t have recipes ready to post, but I felt tired cleaning and organizing, that’s why I did not share a recipe on Wednesday.
And I did not intend to share another Easter Bread recipe, because honestly, this looks very similar to a previous recipe, but the dough it different. It is a little easier to make and the dough could be kept in the fridge for a couple of days, before you shape the bread and bake it. It is perfect, especially if you need to get ready for the holiday and don’t want to make dough at the last moment.
Sweet breads, made with yeast are already difficult enough to make, because the sugar in the dough slows down the rising process. You need to prepare the dough, let it rise (this time in the fridge), then shape the bread (I made a braid), then let it raise inside the baking pan and then bake it. This is where most people get discouraged and scared to try recipes like this. But I promise, that if you follow my instructions and have some patience, you’ll be surprised to find out that this is not such a difficult bread to make.
Hope you have a great weekend and get to try this cold rising Easter bread recipe!
Cold Rising Easter Bread With Yeast And Yogurt
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup hot milk, (115 F)
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp dry yeast or 30 grams fresh yeast
- 3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 50 grams melted unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup Greek Yogurt
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- zest from 1/2 large lemon
For brushing the top:
- 1 egg yolk and 1 tbsp milk, , whisked
- 2 tbsp sugar
- Optional: jam for filling, (1/2 cup)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, combine milk, 1 tsp sugar and yeast. Stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap and let it sit for 10 minutes until the mixture bubbles.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer beat eggs and 3/4 cups of sugar for 4-5 minutes until thick and pale. Add yogurt and mix to combine.
- Add the milk/yeast mixture and add 1/2 of the flour. Mix to combine. Add vanilla and 1/2 of the melted butter. Switch to the dough hook.
- Kneading on low speed, add the remaining flour and butter. Knead for 4-5 minutes, until dough no longer sticks to the sides of the bowl. Add more flour if necessary.
- Transfer dough to a floured surface and form a ball.
- Place ball in a 1-quart zip lock bag, seal and close. Let the dough rise in the refrigerator for 2 hours until it doubles its size. The dough can be left on the fridge overnight or for up to 2 days.
- Take dough out of the fridge 30 minutes before you are planning to shape the bread.
- Take out of the zip-lock bag and place on a lightly floured work surface. Cut the dough into 3 equal parts and shape 3 balls.
- Roll each ball into a 14" x 10" rectangle. Spread 1/3 of the jam over the dough. Roll into a log along the longer side of the log. Repeat with the remaining 2 balls of dough.
- Make a braid with the 3 jam filled logs.
- Line a loaf pan (9"x5"), (or spray with cooking spray and lightly flour).
- Place bread in the pan and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Brush the top of the bread with egg yolk and sprinkle sugar.
- Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, then reduce temperature to 325 F and bake for 20-30 more minutes, until the top is browned and toothpick inserted in the middle, comes out clean.
- I the top of the bread starts to brown very quickly, I suggest that you cover it with aluminum foil and continue baking to prevent browning.
- Let the bread cool at room temperature and slice.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This bread looks wonderful. Happy Easter to you and your family!
I really like having the flexibility of leaving the dough in the fridge for a couple of days. Sometimes the timing of making yeast dough is difficult. I really like how this bread turned out and I love the idea of adding jam. It would add a delightful sweetness to the bread.
Kalo paska, Mira! Xristos Anesti! (I don’t know if you know these phrases, but it’s ‘happy easter’ and ‘Christ is risen’ in Greek – the classic Easter greetings over there.
I used to LOVE the special Easter breads when I lived in Greece. Interesting that yours has Greek yogurt and lemon in it. 🙂
I’ll have a nice big slice please. . .and then I’l have another big slice cooked in french toast form for brekky tomorrow. He! He! I just love that bit of jam peaking out from the bread. It’s beckoning me. . .which is why I might be sounding so demanding. It’s the bread !!!
BTW. ..Happy Greek Orthodox Easter and a big congrats for getting that closest organized. It always feels good when the house is in tip top shape.
This bread looks amazing, I love Easter bread! Definitely need to try this one soon!
How did I miss this gorgeous Easter bread? Hope you enjoy the upcoming Greek Orthodox Easter. 🙂 I know I’d love to be in your kitchen, with all of the wonderful breads baking up. Also, Spring cleaning is the best! Thanks for sharing another incredible bread recipe. Pinning! 🙂