Easter Bread, like Grandma Manya used to do it

April 7, 2023 By Olga Babitskaya

Prep Time: 3h

Cook Time: 1h

Even if we don’t have the exact recipe from your childhood, the simple flavors of traditional baking often bring back those cherished memories. This specific Grandmother’s Manya Easter bread recipe has all the potential to become a new favorite for future generations. This recipe yields two round loaves, each about 13 cm in diameter.

Ingredients

Grandmother’s Manya Easter Cake Dough

• 120 gr sugar
• 21 g fresh yeast (or 7 g dry)
• 150 ml sour milk (kefir/ kiselo mlyako/ yogurt)
• 360 g flour (I prefer 12 g of protein)
• 1 egg
• 1 yolk
• vanilla
• a pinch of salt
• 40 gr butter 82%
• 20 gr vegetable oil
• Vegetable oil for lubricating the table
• 1 tbsp milk

For the Filling

• 200 gr Nutella (100 gr per cake - you can replace it with another filler)

For the Glaze

• 1 egg’s yolk

For Sprinkling

• OPTIONAL 3 tbsp sugar 20 gr chopped nuts

Instructions

Key Baking & Proofing Times

• Oven Temperature: Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 35-40 minutes.
• Proofing Times: Allow for two proofings of approximately 50 minutes each, plus a final rise in the molds for another 50-55 minutes.
• Important Note: Make sure all ingredients for this homemade Easter bread are at room temperature before you start.

Preparing the Easter Cake Dough

1. In a bowl, combine the yeast with sugar, warm kefir (or your choice of sour milk/yogurt), and a small portion of the total flour. Stir well and let the yeast activate for about 10 minutes until it becomes foamy.
2. Next, add the egg, yolk, vanilla, and the remaining flour to the activated kefir-yeast mixture. Stir until a smooth dough begins to form.
3. Finally, incorporate the melted butter and salt. If you are kneading by hand, lightly oil your work surface with vegetable oil and knead until the dough becomes elastic. If using a stand mixer, you can add both the vegetable oil and melted butter together during the kneading process.

First Proofing

1. Once kneaded, place the dough in a lightly oiled container. Cover it with plastic film to prevent it from drying out and transfer it to a warm spot for its first proofing. This usually takes around 1.5 hours, or until it has doubled in volume.

Second Proofing & Shaping

2. Gently punch down the risen dough, shape it into a ball, and return it to a warm place for a second proofing of about 40 minutes.
3. Once the dough has doubled in volume again, lightly grease your work surface with vegetable oil. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Using your hands, flatten each portion into a rectangular shape.
4. Spread Nutella generously over the surface of each rectangle. If you like, sprinkle with chopped nuts. Fold the rectangle like an envelope: first, bring the side edges to the center, then fold the top edge down to form a ball-like shape. Twist the dough slightly so the smooth side becomes the top cap of your cake.

Final Proofing & Baking

5. Place the shaped cakes into 13 cm diameter baking molds for their final proofing. Allow them to rise in a warm place for approximately 50-55 minutes.
6. Before baking, you can brush the risen bread with the egg yolk glaze and sprinkle with additional sugar and nuts if desired.
7. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C (350°F). Baking time will vary slightly depending on the size of your cakes, but 35-40 minutes is typically sufficient. You can check for readiness by inserting a wooden skewer into the center—it should come out clean.