Made with frozen Rhodes Bread Dough, dyed eggs and a powdered sugar glaze, these Individual Italian Easter Bread Rings recipe is the perfect blend of convenience and tradition.
Divide each loaf of thawed bread dough into three equal parts until you have six pieces total.
Roll each piece of dough into a 12-inch rope.
Place two ropes side by side and braid them together.
Form the braided ropes into a circle pinching the ends together and tucking them underneath.
Place on a baking sheet that's been lined with parchment paper.
Repeat with the other two sets of ropes so you have a total of three bread rings.
Place a small glass bowl in the center of the bread dough rings to help maintain its shape as it rises. This way you'll get a perfectly formed dough ring.
Cover the dough rings and allow them to rise until almost doubled in size; about 30 to 45 minutes depending on how warm your kitchen is.
How to Bake the Bread Rings
Preheat oven to 350°F
Carefully place a dyed RAW egg in the center of each dough ring.
Whisk together the egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water and carefully brush the tops and sides of the bread trying your best to avoid getting any on the dyed egg.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown on the outside.
Remove from baking sheet and place on a baking rack to cool completely before decorating.
How to Decorate the Bread Rings
In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk and almond extract.
Let sit for about 5 minutes until the mixture thickens slightly.
Once the bread rings have cooled completely, spread the glaze around the tops of each ring.
Sprinkle with the multi-colored nonpareils.
Notes
How to Defrost the Frozen Bread:
The night before, remove the 2 loaves of bread from the freezer and place in a covered plastic container that has a little flour sprinkled on the bottom. We don't want the dough to stick while it's defrosting. Place the container in the refrigerator overnight so it defrosts completely.