Traditional Easter Bread

When I was growing up, one of the Easter traditions in my family was baking sweet bread to be served at breakfast on Easter, along with ham and eggs. We no longer cook ham, but we decorate eggs and bake traditional Easter bread.

Traditional Easter Bread

600 grams white sifted flour
2 teaspoons yeast
1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons salt
4 tablespoons sugar
250 ml almond milk
100 ml vegetable oil
200 grams raisins
50 ml dark rum

Glaze:
1 egg
1/2 tablespoon water

1. Soak raisins in 50 ml of rum for a few hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together, then add the egg and one additional egg yolk, almond milk, oil and then knead the dough until bubbles form. You can also use a bread maker on the pizza dough setting.
3. Wait at least 30 minutes or until the dough doubles in size. Once raised, coat your work area with flour and use a sharp knife to divide the dough into three equal pieces.

4. Roll the dough into three long ropes.

5. Braid the three ropes into a three-strand braid.

6. Pinch the ends together on both sides and form the braid into a circle. Transfer carefully into a round pan.

7. Prepare a glaze by whisking one egg with one-half tablespoon of water. Just before baking gently brush glaze over the entire surface of the loaf.
8. Bake the bread for 45 to 55 minutes or until the bread crust is a deep golden brown.

– DJ

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BANANAS for Banana Bread!

I always get excited when there’s a few bananas in the fruit bowl that are starting to brown. That means it’s time for BANANA BREAD!!! This banana bread is sooooo good. It’s hard to eat just one slice, so take two. Or three.

BANANAS for Banana Bread!

4 very ripe large bananas
1/3 cup melted organic coconut oil
1 cup cane sugar
1 free run egg, beaten or egg replacer equal to one egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Mash bananas in a large bowl. Add melted coconut oil and mix well with a wooden spoon.
3. Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla, walnuts and chocolate chips.
4. Combine flour, salt and baking soda in a small bowl, mix and add to the large bowl. Mix well and pour into a greased and floured loaf pan. Bake for 60 minutes at 350 degrees F.
5. It’s done when a toothpick inserted in the middle of banana bread comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes and then take the bread out of the pan. Cool completely before slicing.