Welcome to a newsletter thatâs meant to bring your family together in the kitchen during this pandemic. If youâve stumbled across this newsletter and wanna subscribe, let me make that as easy as a one-bowl chocolate cake.âď¸
OMG Easter chocolate stresses me out.
I know, I know, itâs a good problem to have. Right up there with why are the cheetah-print Uggs out of stock in my size, which I complained about this week too.
Itâs just that as soon as I get that drugstore chocolate in my house, I wanna toss it faster than it took me to navigate the self-serve checkout.
And last Sunday my five-year-old discovered what Iâd bought to hide anyway.
I made up five different excuses (none of them made sense) before she interrupted meâŚ
⌠I know youâre the Easter Bunny, Mom.
(Well, if thatâs the case, Iâll just be hiding those treats anyway because Iâm too lazy to go out and buy more.)
But the point is, I want this holiday to be magical for my kids and not just about foil-wrapped eggs that come mostly half unwrapped anyway.
This Easter Bunny Bread is the ticket. Itâs a practical, festival project that wonât add to the sugar overload.
And shaping bread dough into animals is genius.
I canât take credit for this idea. It comes from Taste of Home. They served theirs with a creamy dip, but I made my fave hummus from Moosewood Cookbook. Reply back to this email with the word HUMMUS if you want me to send you the life-changing recipe.
đˇEaster Bunny Bread
Makes enough for 3 large bunnies (or any other shape you want)
Dough adapted from Brother Juniperâs Bread Book by Br. Peter Reinhart. Bunny shape inspired by Taste of Home.
Note: this makes a ton of dough so everyone in the fam can help out. If you just want to make one bunny, only make a third of this dough.
Skill level: easy
Mess level: medium (if you can do Play-doh you can do this)
đ 2 ways to make these extra educational â adapt for your kidsâ ages
1ď¸âŁ The 4 1/2 cups of flour in this recipe is an excellent opportunity to work on fractions. Start with a 1 cup measurer and then swtich to a 1/2 cup on the 3rd cup so you can really give a good lesson. If your kids are older, have them do the measuring.
2ď¸âŁ Google âwhat baby rabbits look likeâ as your bread bakes. From there you could discuss what your kids also looked like as newborns⌠if you remember. (Iâve had to make up my girlsâ first words! #mombrain.)
Ingredients
Dough
4 1/2 cups (630 g) bread flour (sub all-purpose flour if you donât have)
4 1/2 cups (630 g) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp table salt
1 1/2 tbsp instant yeast
3 cups water, or more as needed
Eggwash
1 egg
Preparation
Combine all ingredients except the egg in a stand mixer or large bowl and mix until it comes together in a ball. Adjust with flour or water as needed to get a slightly moist but not sticking-to-your-hands dough. I usually have to add about 1/4 cup more water, but start with a couple tablespoons.
Knead until the dough passes the windowpane test, about 7-10 minutes. (If youâre kneading by hand turn it out on the counter and dust with flour as necessary. It may take a few minutes longer but call it a workout!)
Roll the dough into a ball and let it rise in a bowl covered with a damp tea towel until doubled in size and the mark doesnât disappear when you press your finger into the dough, about 45 - 90 min, depending on the temperature of your kitchen. (Put it in a warm spot to speed it up.)
Grease or line three trays with parchment paper.
When the dough has risen, deflate it gently and divide it into three equal pieces. Each of these three pieces makes a bunny, so hand them out to your team.
To shape a bunny: halve your piece of dough and make a flat log with one of the halves.
Cut off one-quarter from the log and shape that into a pear shape. This will be the bunnyâs head â the widest part is the cheeks.
Shape the other three-quarters of the log into an oval shape about 1 to 1 1/2-inch thick to form the bunnyâs body.
Connect the head to the body by tucking just a bit of the head under the body. It will bake together in the oven.
Cut the second piece of your dough into four equal portions.
Make the ears with two of those portions, rolling each out into long ropes, loop the roll in half and connecting the open end to the head, tucking the ends just a little bit underneath.
Divide the third portion into two pieces and make the back paws by shaping them into ovals and positioning them at the bottom of the body.
Cut the last piece of dough into three pieces and shape two of those into balls for the front paws. Tuck under the side of the body.
Divide the last ball into three parts, making one part about half as small as the other two pieces. Arrange the two balls as the cheeks and the smaller as the nose.
Use scissors to make shallow cuts in the cheeks for whiskers and each of the four paws.
Repeat this process to make two more bunnies if youâve made the full recipe.
Cover the bunnies with plastic wrap and let rise until slightly puffy again (it may not double in size), about 30 min.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Make the egg wash by whisking the egg with 1 tsp water.
When the dough has risen, egg wash it and bake until the bottom is golden brown and the top is just starting to turn golden, about 17-25 minutes.
Serve as is or cut a hole in the tummy big enough to fit a little dip bowl and serve with veggies.
I realize I should have made you a video to show you how to do do this. Next year?
Happy Easter to you and your fam!
đJess
âď¸ P.S. Looking for something to get YOU through the week? I HEAR YOU!
Iâm obsessed with the baker, Tuba Geckil. She makes hyper-realistic cakes shaped like things youâd never think of eating:
You see, bunny bread ainât that crazy.
Talk to you next week! đ