I am hosting Easter on Sunday. I’ve bought almost everything I could think of, so since Easter is a few days away, and I was feeling both nostalgic and brave, I thought I’d give my mom’s original Easter Bread recipe a try. This meant putting my faith in Mom’s words on a yellowed, grease-spotted paper that’s more than 40 years old. I found the spots reassuring thinking she must have used this recipe dozens of times.
Following her recipe is like figuring out a murder mystery because there are no discernable directions except, “Disolve the est in warm weathe and scold milk and buber and mgerine, vinela, anice, packen, orenge, lemon, 12 eggs, mix well add flour little at time, let of rece.”. Then it says 30 minet, 350 digrece.
The scary thing is I actually understand what she’s saying because for years I was her official transcriber. My dad used to look at me in amazement and ask, “How the hell do you know what she’s saying?” Somehow I just did. Her spelling was always interesting and I thought the pumpkin was a bizarre addition, but whatever. I cut the recipe in half and still used 6 eggs! I translated the ingredient list years ago in an old blog post, so here it is for you crazy enough to try it:
est = yeast, weather = water, scold = scalded, buber = butter, magerina= margerine, vinela = vanilla, oreng crante= orange rind, picken = pumpkin, minet = minute, rece = rise Anise olio is anise oil, but you can use anise extract, probably 1 teaspoon for this recipe. Start checking the bread for doneness around the 1/2 hour mark.
So, I’m waiting. If you know me at all, you know I hate waiting, especially for bread to rise…or not to rise. Sometimes through no fault of my own, the yeast decides it hates me and doesn’t work. This truly ticks me off because it seemed as though my mom’s bread always rose effortlessly. (Maybe it’s because she used Fleischman’s cake yeast and I use dry yeast that’s supposed to be quick acting. I may have to switch.)
So, I’ve been sitting, writing for a bit then getting up at least every 20 minutes to peek at the dough which is sitting in a warmish oven. It never seems to move yet my mom’s used to puff up beautifully. If this recipe doesn’t work, I will have wasted 8 cups of flour, 6 eggs, milk, sugar, 3 yeast packets, vanilla, lemon and orange rind, extracts, butter and an hour of my time. Plus, I’m wearing out my slippers going back and forth.
And I can just imagine her up there chuckling to herself because I thought it would be so easy. The last time I made that mistake was when she told me to follow the box instructions to make cornbread. I made it, and it tasted nothing like hers. I called her complaining that it wasn’t like hers at all and she laughed and laughed saying, ““Wella honey, you gadda add a lilla more sugar anna a lilla more oil, den ittsa good.”
I should have known better. If it does actually turn out, I promise I will post a proper recipe.
If you are crazy enough to make Easter Bread, use the recipe below from Fleischmanns for Finnish Spring Bread which includes actual directions and always turns out delicious. I will do a follow up on Mom’s bread which will hopefully take a cue from Jesus and at least rise by Easter Morning!
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Finnish Spring Bread
In a large bowl, thoroughly mix 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, salt, cardamom, orange peel, lemon peel, and undissolved yeast. (The original recipe calls for almonds but I never add them.)
Heat milk, water and butter in a saucepan over low heat until very warm, 110 to 130. (Don't let it get too hot or it kills the yeast!) Butter does not need to melt. Gradually add it to the dry ingredients and beat two minutes at medium speed with electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and a half a cup of flour. Stir in enough additional flour to make a soft dough.
Knead on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning the dough to grease the top. Cover it and let it rise in a warm place until doubled in size. (The recipe says about an hour, but it always seems to take longer.)
Gently punch down the dough and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in the raisins (optional). Divide the dough in half. You can make the dough into two balls, or make one ball and divide the other dough into three parts that you can roll out and braid. Place the ball into a greased cake pan. Place the braid on a greased cookie sheet, cover both and let them rise again until doubled in size (about an hour...or more!)
Bake at 350 for 30 to 45 minutes or until done ( golden brown on the outside). Start checking at 30 minutes. When cool, frost with confectioners sugar frosting and sprinkle with non pareils.
For the icing: Melt the butter then add the confectioners sugar, the vanilla and the half and half or whipping cream. Whisk with a whisk until smooth. Add salt to taste. Then drizzle the icing over the bread. (If the icing is too thick to drizzle, add more cream or half and half.) Sprinkle with non pareils immediately.