20 mins prep + standing time | 30 mins cooking
Ingredients
- 300ml warm milk
- 2 x 7g sachets dry yeast or 30g fresh 4 cups plain flour
- 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground fennel
- 90g butter, chopped
- ¼ cup caster sugar
- 1 orange zest, finely grated
- 2 eggs
- Red-Dyed Eggs
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vinegar
- 2 teaspoon red food colouring
Method
- Place milk in a bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk. Allow to stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
- In a large bowl, sift together flour, cinnamon and fennel. Using fingertips, rub in the butter until mixture resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in sugar and orange zest.
- Whisk one of the eggs into the milk mixture. Pour milk mixture over flour mixture and stir to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured work surface. Knead dough for about 10 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
- Place dough in a lightly greased bowl. Cover with wrap, then a tea towel. Allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Preheat oven to hot (200°C). Lightly grease a baking tray.
- Punch dough down with your fist to release the gas. Knead on a lightly floured work surface for 3 to 5 minutes until smooth. Divide into 3 even-sized pieces. Roll each into a sausage shape.
- Plait pieces together, pressing ends together to secure. Place on prepared tray and cover with a tea towel. Allow to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.
- Meanwhile, make the Red-Dyed Eggs (see recipe below). Lightly beat remaining egg. Brush over dough. Push the red eggs into dough. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Red-Dyed Eggs
- Place eggs in a saucepan. Cover with water and bring to the boil over a high heat. Reduce heat to low. Add vinegar and food colouring.
- Simmer for 7 minutes.
- Cool under cold water. Drain well.
