Sweet Easter Bread with Pastry Cream

• Dye 4 eggs by add 3 parts White vinegar and 1 part water to 4 different glasses. Add food dye to each glass and let the eggs sit in that mixture for 20 mins. Remove and place on a paper towel to dry out.

Pastry Cream

• If you're not using a scale, when measuring the flour it is very important to use the spoon and level method to get the correct amount of flour.
• Fluff up the flour with a spoon and then spoon it into a measuring cup, overfilling it a bit. Then using a straight edge level it off.
• To a bowl, add sugar and flour and whisk together. Add the egg yolks and a small splash of warm milk. Mix with a hand mixer until light in color and a paste forms.
• Add small amount of milk at a time mixing well with each addition. Once the mixture is liquid, you can add the rest of the milk with the mixer running.
• Once all the milk has been added, transfer the mixture to a sauce pan, add lemon peels and cook on medium heat until thickened.
• Pour into a bowl, remove lemon peels and cover with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Place into the refrigerator to set.
• **If using vanilla flavoring, heat the milk with a vanilla bean pod in it then remove the vanilla bean and scrape out the inside and add to the milk and stir. Continue with the recipe.
• **If using Vanilla extract, add 1-2 tsp in after the cream has finished cooking. And stir well to combine.

Dough

• Into a bowl, add flour, salt, sugar and orange zest
• In a glass measuring cup place milk and microwave for 30 seconds. Temp should not exceed 110 F. Add dry yeast and a tsp of sugar, stir and let sit for 10 mins until foamy.
• Add the eggs. Once foamy, pour yeast mixture into the flour mixture. Add the Fiori di Sicilia extract as well.
• Using the dough hook, knead the dough until it comes together. Then add room temp butter 1 tbsp at a time. Wait for the dough to adsorb the butter until you add the next one.
• Knead for a few minutes until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl. Scrape the sides of the bowl, cover it and let it rise for 1 1/2 - 2 hours until doubled in size.
• Add the pastry cream to a piping bag.
• Punch the dough down. Cut into 4 equal pieces. Cut each piece into 2 equal pieces.
• Roll out each piece to a 4x12 rectangle. Pipe a 1 inch thick log of pastry cream in the center but not all the way to the edges.
• Pull the dough over the pastry cream and seal the edges well. Roll the dough a but to elongate it. Do that with both pieces. They attach them on one end and twist the together. Form a circle and attach the ends. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet (half sheet size). Place a dyed egg on top. Do the same for the rest. Cover with a damp towel and let it rise for 30-40 mins.
• In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350℉.
• Once puffy, brush the breads with egg wash and sprinkle with non-pareil sprinkles. Bake for 30-35 mins, until golden brown.
• Place on a wire rack to cool.