The sweet Easter braid with hazelnut cream is a leavened brioche bread, incredibly soft and aromatic, perfect for Easter breakfast, snack, or Easter Monday picnic.
The Easter braid is filled inside with hazelnut cream, soft and orange-scented, which captivates from the first bite with that unmistakable taste of freshly baked brioche bread. It can be enjoyed simply as it is or dipped in milk or coffee.
The brioche braid is enriched with sugar crystals and many colorful eggs that evoke Easter.
It can be filled with jam or something else according to personal taste.
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- Difficulty: Medium
- Cost: Cheap
- Rest time: 3 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 10
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Spring
Ingredients for the Sweet Easter Braid with Hazelnut Cream
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 10 g fresh yeast
- 1/2 cup sunflower oil
- 1 orange zest (grated)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 egg (for brushing)
- as needed hazelnut cream
- as needed sugar crystals
- as needed colored eggs (or chocolate)
Tools
- 1 Stand Mixer
- 1 Parchment Paper
- 1 Baking Tray
- 1 Brush
- 1 Oven
Steps for the Sweet Easter Braid with Hazelnut Cream
For a successful brioche braid, the dough must be worked for a long time, so if you have a stand mixer, I recommend using it, otherwise even in a bowl by hand, but put all your strength into it.
In the stand mixer bowl with the K beater, start by dissolving the fresh yeast with the milk, set the machine to speed 2 and add the sugar, the grated orange zest or a vial and half of the flour, work for a few minutes then replace the beater with the hook.
Continue working by adding the remaining sifted flour and salt, when the mixture is quite compact, gradually add the oil (or soft butter if you prefer), waiting for some to be absorbed before adding the next.
Continue working with the stand mixer for about 10/15 minutes, until the dough is nice and silky and elastic.
Transfer the dough to a bowl, or leave it directly in the mixer bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise for about 2 hours, it should double in size. This depends on the temperature in your home.After the rising time, divide the dough into three parts and form three strands, stretch them with your hands or roll, and then fill the center lengthwise with mixed hazelnut cream and seal the strands.
Braid the strands together to form the braid, ensuring to close well at both ends.
Place the braid on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and let it rise again in the oven until it doubles in size.After rising, brush well with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar crystals.
Place the tray in the lowest part of the oven and bake the braid in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) fan-forced for about 40 minutes or in a static oven for 45 minutes.
The baking time depends on your oven’s power, adjust by sight when to finish baking.
Once baked, let it cool a bit, then add some colorful or chocolate eggs.
The sweet Easter brioche braid is ready to be served.
Storage and Tips
The braid keeps for 1-2 days under a dome, just heat it slightly in the oven to regain its fragrance.
You can fill and decorate the braid with something else according to your taste.
Notes
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Can I fill the braid with something else?
Yes, of course, you can use creams, jam, or preserves.
Can I leave the braid empty and fill it later?
Certainly, just braid the dough without filling, once baked, it can be filled as desired.
