Easter Bread Ring with Pastry Cream
This is a take on the classic Italian bread with a hint of citrus and crowned with pastry cream. We call it Easter Ring, and it's a must for this holiday. The simple flavors are also perfect for a Spring brunch or with a cup of coffee. The sweet dough is easy to work with and can be made into individual braids with colored eggs.
Servings 12 slices
Ingredients
For the sweet dough:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour estimated, you might need a little more
- ¼ cup sugar
- ¼ cup whole milk at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons active-dry or instant yeast or 4 ½ teaspoons fresh yeast
- 1 egg at room temperature
- ½ tablespoon liquid honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest loosely packed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
For the baker's pastry cream:
- 1 ⅓ cups whole milk
- ⅔ cup sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the egg wash:
- 1 egg at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon milk
To finish:
- 1 or 2 teaspoons powdered sugar
Instructions
Sweet bread dough:
- If using fresh or active-dry yeast, place half cup of flour with a tablespoon of sugar (both subtracted from the total amount), half the milk and the yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer (KitchenAid or similar). Mix a little and let stand 5-10 minutes, until bubbles start to appear. If it has no activity, the yeast is probably old. Buy new and start again.
- Add the rest of the flour and sugar to the bowl with the yeast mixture. If using instant yeast, place 2 cups all-purpose flour and ¼ cup sugar in the bowl and add the yeast. Stir to mix.
- Incorporate 1 egg, ¼ cup whole milk, ½ tablespoon liquid honey, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon lemon zest. Start kneading and sprinkle in ½ teaspoon salt. Knead for 2 or 3 minutes, until all the ingredients start to combine.
- Add ¼ cup unsalted butter in three or four parts, waiting about 20-30 seconds between each addition. Continue kneading until a smooth and soft dough is formed, about 8 to 10 minutes. It is very elastic and hardly sticks to the fingers.
- Form a ball, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rest for 15 minutes. I do so on the kitchen counter, but you can use a bowl.
- Have ready a lightly buttered or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Once the dough has relaxed, form a log with it and then a ring, sinking the center with your hand and opening it (as you would a bagel), until you can place an upside-down small glass or ramekin or a scone ring in the center to keep the circle open. Make sure they’re oven-safe, metal or ceramic, as it will go with the dough into the oven.
- Place the ring on the prepared baking sheet with the glass or ring in the center. cover, and let the dough rise in a warm place for approximately 1 hour.
Thick pastry cream:
- In a medium saucepan, bring 1 ⅓ cups whole milk to a boil with ⅓ cup of the sugar.
- In another bowl, whisk the remaining ⅓ cup sugar with ¼ cup cornstarch, 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and 2 eggs until it’s combined.
- Pour the hot milk little by little (to avoid cooking the eggs) over the egg mixture, mixing constantly, and return the entire mixture to the same saucepan and place over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until it boils again. Continue cooking for about 1 minute, whisking constantly, or until it thickens and is very smooth. The amount of time depends on how hot the stove is. Don’t let it scorch or burn.
- Remove from the heat, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and stir well. If it has lumps, pass it through a sieve. Transfer to a not-too-deep, rather shallow bowl, cover with plastic wrap touching the entire surface to avoid dryness, and refrigerate while the dough finishes rising.
To assemble and bake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
- When the dough has risen and is ready to bake, mix 1 egg and 1 tablespoon milk for the egg wash in a small bowl and carefully brush the ring with it.
- Bake in the preheated oven for approximately about 25 minutes, until golden brown and it sounds hollow if lightly tapped on the bottom.
- Let it cool on a wire rack.
- Transfer the pastry cream to a piping bag with a plain tip. Make a zigzag pattern on the surface, not too far apart, covering it well with pastry cream. I do this while the bread is still warm, but be careful not to deflate it. You can wait longer if needed.
- Sprinkle with 1 or 2 teaspoons powdered sugar (not too much, so the cream is visible).
Notes
Baking time: Consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as possible, but it might take you more or less time. You can use an oven thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend tracking how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Toppings: Some people like adding a few maraschino cherries and sometimes pearl sugar and a chocolate drizzle in addition to the custard. I'm not a fan, as for me, it deflects from the main components: sweet dough and pastry cream. But you absolutely can!
