Recipe: Easter Egg Nest Bread with Orange Icing (bread braid with colored eggs)

EASTER EGG NEST BREAD



3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, divided use
1/3 cup sugar
2 packages Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
9 eggs, divided use
1/2 cup chopped almonds, toasted
1 tablespoon water
Food coloring (for eggs)
Orange Icing (recipe follows)

In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, orange peel, and salt.

Heat 3/4 cup water, milk, and butter until very warm (120 to 130 degrees F); stir into dry ingredients. Stir in 1 egg, almonds, and enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Cover; let rest on floured surface 10 minutes.

Divide dough in half; roll each half to 30-inch rope. Loosely twist ropes together. Place twisted rope on large greased baking sheet; shape into circle and pinch ends together to seal. Place 7 clean eggs, evenly spaced, on dough, pressing between ropes in twist. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 20 to 40 minutes.

Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water; brush over dough (not on eggs).

Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes or until done. Remove from sheet; let cool on wire rack.

Brush eggs with food coloring. Drizzle Orange Icing over bread. Serve promptly. Refrigerate any leftover eggs to preserve freshness.

ORANGE ICING

In small bowl, combine and stir until smooth:
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 to 2 tablespoons orange juice

Makes one coffeecake
Source: Fleishmann's Yeast