Braided into a festive round, this Trentino brazadel is a traditional Easter bread from Northern Italy. Finished with pearl sugar and orange glaze, it makes a special treat for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
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This Trentino brazadel is a wonderful Easter bread to make if you want to try something a little different from my other holiday breads. Unlike my Calabrian Easter bread, which is made without yeast, this one is made with an enriched yeasted dough scented with orange zest.
It is also different from my Italian Easter bread, since it does not have the egg tucked into the center of its wreath shape. Instead, it is finished with pearl sugar and orange glaze for a simple but beautiful treat.Â
Why I Love This Recipe
- Tradition: I love that brazadel comes with a bit of history. The name is said to come from the way women once carried it home, draped around their arm like a bracelet.
- Perfect for Easter baking: If you like making traditional Easter breads, this one fits right in alongside recipes like my Italian colomba bread and Roman Easter sweet bread.
Ingredient NotesÂ
- Whole or heavy milk: Used in both the dough and for brushing the top before baking. The milk helps give the bread a soft texture and a nice golden finish.
- Active dry yeast: This gives the brazadel its rise and soft texture.
- All purpose flour and 00 flour: A mix of the two flours gives the bread structure while keeping the crumb soft and tender.
- Sugar: Added to the dough to feed the yeast and for a touch of sweetness to balance the rich ingredients and orange flavor.
- Butter: Softened butter enriches the dough and gives the bread a softer, more tender texture.
- Eggs: Eggs help create the rich dough and give the finished bread its soft texture.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a gentle sweetness and rounds out the flavor of the dough.
- Salt: Just a pinch balances and lifts the flavor.
- Orange zest: This gives the bread its fresh citrus flavor and makes it feel especially nice for Easter.
- Pearl sugar: Sprinkled over the top before baking, pearl sugar gives the brazadel its pretty finish and a little crunch.
- Orange glaze: A simple orange glaze made with orange juice and powdered sugar adds a pretty finish and a touch of extra sweetness.Â
How to Make Trentino Brazadel Easter Bread
First whisk together the flours, sugar, and salt in a large bowl and set that aside. In the bowl of your mixer, add part of the milk, sprinkle the yeast over the top, and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes.
Once the yeast has bloomed, mix in part of the dry ingredients along with the remaining milk until combined. Cover the bowl with a tea towel and let it rest.
After that, add the rest of the dry ingredients, the eggs, vanilla, softened butter, and orange zest.
Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface until it comes together into a smooth ball, then place it in a lightly buttered bowl, cover, and let it rise until doubled.
When the dough has risen, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and divide it into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a rope, braid them together.
Shape the braid into a round ciambella and place it on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Cover the shaped bread and let it rise again until doubled in bulk. Brush the top with milk, sprinkle with pearl sugar, and bake until golden.Â
Let the brazadel cool completely on a wire rack, then drizzle with the orange glaze or a dusting of powdered sugar if you like.
recipe tips
- Give the yeast time to bloom:Â Since brazadel is a yeasted Easter bread, be sure the yeast has time to bloom before mixing the dough.
- Let the dough rest before kneading. The first rest gives the flour time to absorb the liquid and helps the dough come together more easily. It also gives the yeast a head start, so the dough feels smoother and easier to knead.
- Braid gently: When shaping the dough, braid it gently and do not pull the ropes too tight. A looser braid gives the bread room to rise and helps keep the shape soft.
- For a longer rise, use less yeast:Â If you want to let the dough rise slowly in the fridge for 12 to 18 hours, use just 1/2 teaspoon of yeast. Then bring the dough to room temperature for about 1 hour before continuing with the recipe.
- Check the internal temperature: To be sure it’s baked through, the center should read 190°F to 200°F on a thermometer inserted into the bottom of the bread.
- Shape into smaller rounds:Â For a donut-like look, you can shape dough into smaller rounds instead of one large braid. Just watch the bake time, as they will bake faster.
This Brazadel Italian Easter bread is a beautiful celebration of tradition, with its soft, lightly sweet dough and festive shape making it perfect for the holiday table. Whether shared with family or given as a thoughtful homemade gift, it’s a delicious way to bring a touch of Italian Easter warmth and joy to your kitchen.
- 3¾ cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups flour 00
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 13½ tablespoons whole / heavy milk (¾ cup + 1½ tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 7 tablespoons butter softened
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon Orange zest
EXTRA
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 2-3 tablespoons pearl sugar
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In a large bowl whisk together the flours, sugar and salt.
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In the mixing bowl add 6½ tablespoons / 100ml of milk, sprinkle the yeast on top and let sit for 5-10 minutes and stir.
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To the yeast mixture add 1¾ cups / 300 grams of the dry ingredients, the remaining milk and mix to combine, cover with a tea towel and let rest 1 hour, then add the remaining dry ingredients, the eggs, vanilla, butter and zest. Move to a lightly flowered flat surface and form in tonight a ball. Place in a lightly buttered bowl, cover and let rise until doubled 1-2 hour in a warm draft free area.
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Move the dough to a lightly floured flat surface, divide the dough into 3 equal parts. Roll each part into 5½ cm ropes, braid the ropes together, form into a circle and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
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Cover and rise 1-2 hours or until doubled in bulk. Brush the dough with the milk and sprinkle with pearl sugar.
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Pre-heat the oven to 350F/180C.
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Bake for approximately 25-35 minutes. Internal temperature should be 190-200 / 88-93 C. Let cool on a wire rack. Drizzle with an orange glaze or powdered sugar if desired. Enjoy!
Store: Keep the bread covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Freeze: Wrap the bread tightly and freeze without the glaze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, then add the glaze before serving.
Calories: 4339kcal | Carbohydrates: 730g | Protein: 104g | Fat: 109g | Saturated Fat: 60g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 28g | Trans Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 795mg | Sodium: 984mg | Potassium: 1407mg | Fiber: 22g | Sugar: 179g | Vitamin A: 3637IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 496mg | Iron: 36mg | Phosphorus: 1358mg
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