Easter Bunny Breads Recipes

Steps:

• Whisk warm milk, 1/4 cup flour, and yeast for dough together in the bowl of a stand mixer. Let sit about 15 minutes to ensure yeast is active; small bubbles should start to rise to the surface. Add sugar, beaten egg, lemon and orange zest, cinnamon, salt, cardamom, nutmeg, melted butter, and most of the remaining flour (you might not need it all). Mix with a dough hook attachment until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and becomes slightly elastic, 5 or 6 minutes. Continue kneading until dough is soft and shiny, about 10 minutes. Remove dough from dough hook and shape into a ball. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
• Shape dough into a round ball. Transfer to lightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover and let rise in a relatively warm, draft-free place until double in size, about 2 hours.
• Poke dough down a bit with your fingertips. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Work dough into a uniform piece and cut into eight 4-ounce pieces. Roll one piece with the flats your hands into a 12-inch rope; it's okay if one end is a little thicker than the other.
• Cut 2 inches off the smaller end and 3 inches off the larger end. Roll the 2-inch piece into a ball for the tail. Roll the ends of the 3-inch piece into points, then flatten one end slightly for the face. Roll the remaining piece into a 12-inch rope, about 1/2 inch wide.
• Transfer the rope to a Silpat®-lined baking sheet and make a coil for the body. The end of the coil will be the bunny's front legs and paws, so place the head on top of that, touching the body, with the flatter side facing the same way as the paws.
• Cut the back side of the head (the pointy side) about 2/3 of the way in towards the face to make 2 ears. Make depressions in the middle of each ear with a bench scraper or the back of a knife; do not cut all the way through. Set the tail in place, touching the back of the body.
• Repeat to form remaining bunnies; you will use 2 lined baking sheets for 8 bunnies. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and proof in a warm spot for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Beat egg and water together for egg wash.
• Remove plastic wrap from the baking sheets and brush dough with egg wash. Poke small holes in the faces for eyes, then push raisins in the holes. Redefine the ears by pressing again with a bench scraper or knife.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until beautifully browned, 12 to 15 minutes. Carefully remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
• Cut into the center of the ears again to redefine them. Brush bunnies with simple syrup and sprinkle coconut onto the tails.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add milk, sugar, oil, egg, salt and 4 cups flour. Beat on medium speed 3 minutes; beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky). , Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. , Preheat oven to 400°. Punch dough down. For each bunny, shape a 3-in. ball for the body; press a chocolate egg into each ball. Shape dough around egg so it is completely covered. For each head, shape a 2-in. ball; press a chocolate egg into each. Shape dough around egg so it is completely covered. Add a 1-in. ball for the tail and two 2x3/4-in. pieces for the ears. , Place bunnies 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully remove from pans to wire racks to cool., For icing, in a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar and water; tint pink with red food coloring. With a small new paintbrush, paint a nose and whiskers on each bunny.

Steps:

• Cut a fourth off of one loaf of dough; shape into a pear to form head. For body, flatten remaining portion into a 7x6-in. oval; place on a greased baking sheet. Place head above body. Make narrow cuts, about 3/4 in. deep, on each side of head for whiskers., Cut second loaf into four equal portions. For ears, shape two portions into 16-in. ropes; fold ropes in half. Arrange ears with open ends touching head. Cut a third portion of dough in half; shape each into a 3-1/2-in. oval for back paws. Cut two 1-in. slits on top edge for toes. Position on each side of body., Divide the fourth portion of dough into three pieces. Shape two pieces into 2-1/2-in. balls for front paws; shape the remaining piece into two 1-in. balls for cheeks and one 1/2-in. ball for nose. Place paws on each side of body; cut two 1-in. slits for toes. Place cheeks and nose on face. Add raisins for eyes and almonds for teeth., Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 30-45 minutes. Brush dough with egg. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to a wire rack to cool., Place bread on a serving tray. Cut a 3-1/2-in. circle in center of body. Hollow out bread, leaving a 1/2-in. shell (discard removed bread or save for another use). Place a 1-cup shallow bowl in the hole and fill with dip.

Steps:

• 1. Soften active dry yeast in warm water; compressed yeast in lukewarm water. Blend milk, sugar, shortening, and salt. Cool till lukewarm; stir in about 2 cups of flour; beat well. Add eggs; mix well. Stir in softened yeast. Add orange juice, peel, and remaining flour to make a soft dough. Let rest 10 minutes.
• 2. Knead dough 5 to 10 minutes on lightly foured surface till smooth and elastic. Place in lightly greased bowl, turning over to grease surface. Cover; let rise in warm place till double (about 2 hours). Punch down; cover and let rest 10 minutes.
• 3. To start bunnies, roll dough in rectangle 1/2 inch thick, on lightly foured surface. Cut dough in strips about 1/2 inch wide and roll between hands to smooth. Shape in curlicue or twist bunnies as directed below.
• 4. Cover and let rise in warm place till light and nearly double (45-60 minutes). Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Frost while warm with Sugar Glaze. Makes about 2 1/2 dozen.
• 5. Twist bunnies: For each, you'll need a 14 inch strip of dough. On lightly greased cookie sheet, lap one end of strip over other to form a loop; now bring end that's underneath up over top end, letting one extend to each side for ears. Pat tips of ears to shape in point. Roll small ball of dough for tail; place atop dough at bottom of loop. Let bunnies almost double before you put them in oven.
• 6. Curlicue bunnies: For each, you'll need a 10 inch strip of dough for body and a 5 inch strip for head. On lightly greased cookie sheet, make a loose swirl of the body strip. Swirl strip for head and place close to body (they'll "grow" together as dough rises). For ears, pinch off 1 1/2 inch strips and roll between hands till smooth and cigarshaped. Let point make tip of ear; snip off opposite end and place ear next to head. Pinch off a bit of dough and roll in ball for tail. Let bunnies almost double; bake.
• 7. Sugar Glaze: To two cups confectioner's sugar, add 1/4 cup hot water and 1 tsp butter or margarine; mix till well blended.