Yeast Easter Nests

Ingredients

• 400 g flour
• 100 g ground almonds (peeled)
• 50 g sugar
• 2 tbsp vanilla sugar
• 1 packet dry yeast
• 4 drops bitter almond aroma
• 50 g soft butter
• 2 Eggs
• 180 ml lukewarm milk
• flour (for working)
• 6 colored hard‑boiled red eggs
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 tbsp milk
• 50 g powdered sugar
• sugar blossoms (for garnish)
• sugar sweets (for garnish)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Mix flour with almonds, sugar, vanilla sugar and dry yeast in a bowl. Add bitter almond aroma, butter and eggs. Gradually pour in milk while kneading. Adjust milk slightly if needed. Knead until smooth dough that releases from the bowl. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest about 1 hour in a warm place.

2. 2.

   Again knead well and divide into 12 equal pieces. Roll each piece on floured surface into strands about 2 cm thick. Twist two strands together to form a cord. Arrange into a wreath, press ends together. Shape six nests and arrange them side by side on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and let rise another 30 minutes.

3. 3.

   Preheat oven to 200°C (400°F) fan or conventional heat.

4. 4.

   Press one egg into the center of each wreath. Whisk yolk with milk and brush dough. Bake for about 40 minutes until golden brown.

5. 5.

   Whisk powdered sugar with 2–3 tbsp cold water to a thin glaze. Remove nests from oven, carefully lift them off parchment. While still hot, brush with glaze, top with sugar blossoms and small sugar sweets, and let cool.