This bread us traditionally baked at Easter with a red boiled egg placed in the top.
This bread is so delicious and very easy to make I just have to bake it more than just at Easter.

I use my kitchen scales for this recipe

Delicious just as is but you could add 1/2 cup of sultanas and currents if you wanted.

PREP TIME 3 hours including rising times
COOK TIME 40 minutes
SERVINGS 1 loaf

INGREDIENTS​

• 1/4 cup lukewarm water
• 2 tsp instant dried yeast
• Pinch of sugar
• 1/3 cup full cream milk
• 65 g unsalted butter
• 100 g caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 500 g plain flour or bread flour ( I use lighthouse bread flour)
• Zest of 1/2 orange
• Flaked almonds ( optional) I leave off due to allergies

Egg wash​

• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp water

INSTRUCTIONS
​

• Begin by combining water, instant dried yeast & a pinch of sugar in to a small bowl. Set aside until it bubbles.
• In a small pot place butter, sugar, and milk over low heat. Stir ingredients until the butter just melts. Set aside to cool then whisk in the eggs.
  
  
• In a large bowl combine 400g of the plain flour and reserve the other 100g. Grate in the orange zest, Pour the yeast mixture into the cooled milk, sugar, and egg mix. Stream it into the bowl with flour and incorporate until a sticky dough forms. Add a tablespoon of the leftover flour at a time kneading it through until a soft dough forms (you may not need all the flour).
• Knead the dough for 5 minutes. Place it back into the bowl positioning it in a warm location covered with a tea towel. Allow the dough to proof for a couple of hours or until it doubles in size.
• Once ready, divide the dough into three equal pieces. Stretch & roll out each piece until it’s long enough to plait into a braid. Create a braid then allow the bread to proof covered for another 30 minutes or so until it rises again.
• Preheat your oven to 170 degrees fan forced or 180 deg normal and place the oven rack toward the bottom of your oven. Brush the egg wash onto the dough and sprinkle with flaked almonds. Bake for approximately 30 minutes and deep golden in colour.
• This recipe can be created by hand or electric mixer. Same instructions apply.