How to Make Easter Egg Nests

An Easter egg nest is a creative presentation that is completely edible and is much easier to make than it looks. It is basically lengths of sweet bread twisted to resemble a bird's nest and uses real eggs.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 9 eggs
• 4 cups flour
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup chopped and toasted almonds
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup finely granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tsp. orange peel, grated
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 packages Fleischmann's Rapid Rise Yeast
• Food coloring
• Orange icing
• 1 cup sugar, powdered
• 2 tbsp orange juice

1. Combine the orange peel, salt, sugar and yeast with 1½ cups of flour. Heat the butter, milk and water until it is warm and stir it into the dry ingredients. Stir in enough flour along with the almonds and one egg to make a soft dough. Flour a hard surface lightly and knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, usually about seven minutes. Cover and let it sit for 10 minutes.

2. Roll the dough into two 30-inch ropes. Twist them loosely together and place the dough on a baking sheet that has been lightly greased. Shape the dough into a circle and connect the ends by pinching them together. Space seven of the eggs evenly between the ropes in the twist and press evenly. Cover again and allow it to rise for about 30 minutes until it doubles in size.

3. Beat the last egg and add a tablespoon of water before brushing it on the dough. Bake it at 350 degrees for at least 30 minutes until it is a light brown. Remove it from the baking sheet and allow it to cool.

4. Make orange icing by stirring the powdered sugar and orange juice in a small bowl until it is smooth.

5. Brush the eggs with the food coloring and drizzle the bread with the icing. Serve immediately and refrigerate the leftover eggs.