Easy to make, these cute bunny-shaped brioches will become an instant hit on your Easter brunch buffet

I don’t know if you can relate, but for me the long Easter Weekend always marks the start into the year’s new brunch season.

It’s the time of the year when – with a bit of luck depending on where you live in the northern hemisphere – entertaining family and friends finally moves to the outdoors again.

The long Easter Weekend is the perfect occasion to celebrate the first al-fresco brunch of the year debuting fresh spring produce mixed with some of those delicious classic sweet Easter treats.

Some of the foods that can’t be missing on my Easter brunch buffet are eggs (whatever style), fresh Belgian waffles with strawberries, asparagus quiche, smoked salmon, ham, bacon, and of course the so delicious soft and sweet Easter bread aka Easter braid.

The origins of the classic Easter braided bread are placed into Byzantine times and thus the Eastern Roman Empire. Today, the sweet Easter bread is found in many European countries and though local differences exist, the versions made of three ropes braided together usually dominate and the bread is often made into a circle. In many cases, the bread is also backed with coloured eggs.

Yet, other shapes also exist with the famous Colomba di Pasqua from Italy – shaped like a dove to symbolize peace – perhaps the best known very different shape of the sweet bread.

Another funny way to serve the braided bread is to give it this happy Easter bunny shape.

Whatever shape you prefer, making the bread is incredibly easy and it’s absolutely delicious topped with butter and jam.

How to make sweet, braided Easter Bunny buns

These lovely little Easter Bunny brioches are so easy to make and will become an instant hit on your Easter brunch buffet or breakfast table.

Makes 8 bunnies

500 g all-purpose flour
200 ml milk
1 pack dry instant yeast
100 g butter
70 g sugar
1 egg
pinch of salt
grated orange zest
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 egg yolk
coarse sugar

Method

Add flour and dry yeast to a large bowl.

Warm the milk over low heat and pour over the flour-yeast mix.

Add butter, sugar, egg, pinch of salt and orange zest and knead until obtaining a smooth dough. It should be thick and only slightly sticky.

Form dough to a ball, place into another bowl, cover and let rise at a warm place for at least one hour until doubled in size.

Form the dough into a roll, then divide into 8 equal parts.

Roll the dough into 8 ropes of about 30 cm. Cut a 2 cm piece off the end and roll into a ball.

Fold each rope halfway around the ball.

Twist twice to form the bunny.

Place the bunnies on a backing try lined with baking paper, cover and let rise for another 10-15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 190°C.

Mix egg yolk and heavy cream and brush the bunnies with the mix. Sprinkle the tail with coarse sugar.

Back for 20-25 minutes until light golden-brown.

The bunnies taste delicious when still slightly warm, topped with some butter and jam. However, you can easly keep them until the next day too.