German Easter Bread

Ingredients

• 30 g Candied orange peel
• 3 tbsp Rum
• 80 g Raisins
• 250 g Flour
• 75 ml Milk
• 7 g Dry Yeast
• 3 Egg yolk
• to taste to taste seeds from 1/2 vanilla bean
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 1 pinch grated untreated lemon zest
• 75 g soft butter
• to taste to taste flour for processing
• to taste to taste melted butter for brushing
• 80 g Apricot jam
• 50 g Powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice

Method

1. Finely chop candied orange peel with 1 tsp rum. Place raisins in a small bowl.
2. Put flour in a bowl, create a well in the center. Warm yeast in a small pot. Pour yeast milk into the well, mix with some flour to form a thick paste, sprinkle with flour. Cover and let rise in a warm spot for 15 minutes until cracks form.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla seeds, a pinch of salt, and lemon zest until the mixture is frothy. In a separate small pot, melt the butter.
4. Combine egg mixture with pre-dough and mix well using a hand mixer. Knead the dough for 20 minutes. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes.
5. Shape the dough into a round loaf on a floured surface, positioning it seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Coat with butter, score a diamond pattern, cover with a cloth, and allow it to rise in a warm area for 20 to 30 minutes.
6. Set the oven to 340°F and place the Easter bread on the center rack, baking for 25 to 35 minutes until it turns a light brown. Take it out and allow it to cool.
7. Combine apricot jam with 2 tbsp water in a pot and bring to a boil. Blend until smooth using a hand blender, then spread over the bread. In a small bowl, sift powdered sugar and mix with lemon juice and 1 to 2 tbsp water until smooth. Apply the glaze evenly over the bread.

Notes

Decorate with almonds and/or pearl sugar