Pull-Apart Easter Blossom Bread

Recipe View 5 mins In a large bowl, whisk together 4 cups of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set aside. (5 minutes)

Recipe View 5 mins In a saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Pour in the milk and warm to about 110°F (43°C). (5 minutes)

Recipe View 5 mins In a separate bowl, place the beaten eggs. Gradually whisk in about 1/3 of the warm milk mixture, then pour the egg mixture back into the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan. Stir in the lemon zest. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. (5 minutes)

Recipe View 1 hrs 20 mins Add the remaining 2 cups of flour, mixing until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size. (1 hour 20 minutes)

Recipe View 10 mins Punch down the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes. (10 minutes)

Recipe View 15 mins Divide the dough in half. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one half into a 12-inch circle. Place a drinking glass (or a small bowl) face down in the center of the circle to prevent cutting all the way through. Use a sharp knife or pizza cutter to cut the dough into quarters from the edge to the rim of the glass. Then, cut each quarter into 5 narrow, wedge-shaped strips, leaving the center uncut. Remove the glass – you should have 20 strips. (15 minutes)

Recipe View 5 mins Pick up two adjacent strips and twist them together 3-4 times. Pinch the ends together at the top. Gently coil the twisted strips into a rough flower shape and arrange it in the middle of the circle, where the glass was. (5 minutes)

Recipe View 20 mins Repeat with two more adjacent strips, twisting, pinching, and coiling them into a petal next to the center rosette. Repeat with the remaining 16 strips, creating 8 more petals around the center. You'll have 9 petals in total. Repeat with the remaining dough half to make 2 breads. (20 minutes)

Recipe View 1 hrs Grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. Place the shaped breads on the prepared sheet, reshaping them into rounds if needed. Cover loosely with a clean kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place for 30-45 minutes, or until almost doubled. (1 hour)

Recipe View 10 mins Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolk and water. Brush the egg wash over both breads. (10 minutes)

Recipe View 25 mins Bake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool completely on the baking sheet. (25 minutes)

Recipe View 10 mins Gently deepen the indentations in the center of each petal with your fingers. Fill each petal with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam. (10 minutes)

Recipe View 10 mins In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth, creating a glaze. Drizzle the glaze over both breads. Let the glaze set before serving. Pull off petals to enjoy! (10 minutes)