Sweet cheese Easter bread is a traditional dessert that brings joy to festive tables, especially during Easter. This recipe combines fluffy dough, flavored with citrus, with a creamy sweet cheese filling, resulting in a dish that not only delights the senses but also evokes childhood nostalgia. Let’s discover together how we can create this delicacy step by step.
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Rising time: 1 hour
Baking time: 1 hour
Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 kg flour
- 50 g fresh yeast
- 600 g sugar
- 400 ml lukewarm milk
- 10 large eggs
- 200 g butter (melted and cooled)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 40 g grated lemon and orange peel (combined for a complex aroma)
- 200 g raisins (optional, but recommended)
For the cheese filling:
- 900 g sweet cheese (cow cheese is ideal, well-drained)
- 300 g sour cream (for extra creaminess)
- 6 eggs
- 2 packets of vanilla sugar
- Remaining grated citrus peel (from the dough)
- 100 g semolina (helps absorb moisture)
Preparation
Step 1: Activating the yeast
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in 100 ml of lukewarm milk. Add 50 g of flour and 50 g of sugar, mixing well. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes until it becomes frothy. This step is essential to activate the yeast and achieve fluffy dough.
Step 2: Preparing the dough
In a large bowl, combine the remaining flour, sugar, eggs, salt, grated citrus peel, and melted butter. Add the yeast mixture and the remaining milk. Knead the dough until it becomes elastic and pulls away from your hands. If it’s too sticky, you can add a little more flour, but be careful not to overdo it, or you’ll end up with dense dough. After kneading, cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
Step 3: Preparing the cheese filling
In another bowl, mix the sweet cheese with the sour cream, eggs, vanilla sugar, citrus peel, and semolina. Mix well until you obtain a homogeneous composition. If you choose to use raisins, make sure to wash them and soak them in warm water or rum for 10-15 minutes to make them fluffier.
Step 4: Assembling the Easter bread
After the dough has risen, grease a round pan (preferably with a detachable bottom) with butter and dust it with flour. Roll out part of the dough to form an even base on the bottom of the pan. From the remaining dough, form thin strands which you can braid and place around the edge of the pan. This detail not only gives an elegant appearance but also helps with the structure of the Easter bread.
Step 5: Filling and baking
Carefully pour the cheese filling into the center of the dough. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush the top of the Easter bread with a diluted egg and a little water to achieve a golden and appetizing crust. Bake the Easter bread for about 1 hour, or until it becomes beautifully browned and when you insert a toothpick in the center, it comes out clean.
Step 6: Cooling and serving
After baking, let the Easter bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack to cool completely. It is delicious both warm and cold. It can be served plain or with a berry sauce for a contrast of flavors.
Practical tips
- Yeast: Make sure the milk is lukewarm, not hot, so as not to kill the yeast.
- Cheese: You can use cow cheese, ricotta, or a combination for a more interesting texture.
- Variations: Instead of raisins, you can add chocolate chips or chopped nuts to diversify the flavor.
Nutritional values
One serving of sweet cheese Easter bread (approximately 100 g) has about 350-400 calories, being a good source of protein due to the cheese and eggs. It also contains carbohydrates from flour and sugar, as well as healthy fats from butter and sour cream.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use cottage cheese? Yes, but make sure it is well-drained; otherwise, the filling will be too wet.
2. Can I make it in advance? The Easter bread keeps well in the fridge for a few days, but it is recommended to consume it freshly baked to maintain its fluffy texture.
3. What drinks pair well? A sweet wine or a complementary citrus tea would go perfectly with your Easter bread.
Personal notes
This sweet cheese Easter bread recipe is one of my childhood favorites. I remember how, together with my grandmother, we would spend days preparing Easter treats. Every step brought to life with patience and love reflects in the final taste, and every slice of Easter bread becomes a piece of our story.
I encourage you to try this recipe, enjoy every stage of cooking, and share the joy with your loved ones!
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Rising time: 1 hour
Baking time: 1 hour
Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 12
Ingredients
For the dough:
- 1 kg flour
- 50 g fresh yeast
- 600 g sugar
- 400 ml lukewarm milk
- 10 large eggs
- 200 g butter (melted and cooled)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 40 g grated lemon and orange peel (combined for a complex aroma)
- 200 g raisins (optional, but recommended)
For the cheese filling:
- 900 g sweet cheese (cow cheese is ideal, well-drained)
- 300 g sour cream (for extra creaminess)
- 6 eggs
- 2 packets of vanilla sugar
- Remaining grated citrus peel (from the dough)
- 100 g semolina (helps absorb moisture)
Preparation
Step 1: Activating the yeast
In a small bowl, dissolve the yeast in 100 ml of lukewarm milk. Add 50 g of flour and 50 g of sugar, mixing well. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes until it becomes frothy. This step is essential to activate the yeast and achieve fluffy dough.
Step 2: Preparing the dough
In a large bowl, combine the remaining flour, sugar, eggs, salt, grated citrus peel, and melted butter. Add the yeast mixture and the remaining milk. Knead the dough until it becomes elastic and pulls away from your hands. If it’s too sticky, you can add a little more flour, but be careful not to overdo it, or you’ll end up with dense dough. After kneading, cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size.
Step 3: Preparing the cheese filling
In another bowl, mix the sweet cheese with the sour cream, eggs, vanilla sugar, citrus peel, and semolina. Mix well until you obtain a homogeneous composition. If you choose to use raisins, make sure to wash them and soak them in warm water or rum for 10-15 minutes to make them fluffier.
Step 4: Assembling the Easter bread
After the dough has risen, grease a round pan (preferably with a detachable bottom) with butter and dust it with flour. Roll out part of the dough to form an even base on the bottom of the pan. From the remaining dough, form thin strands which you can braid and place around the edge of the pan. This detail not only gives an elegant appearance but also helps with the structure of the Easter bread.
Step 5: Filling and baking
Carefully pour the cheese filling into the center of the dough. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Brush the top of the Easter bread with a diluted egg and a little water to achieve a golden and appetizing crust. Bake the Easter bread for about 1 hour, or until it becomes beautifully browned and when you insert a toothpick in the center, it comes out clean.
Step 6: Cooling and serving
After baking, let the Easter bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer it to a rack to cool completely. It is delicious both warm and cold. It can be served plain or with a berry sauce for a contrast of flavors.
Practical tips
- Yeast: Make sure the milk is lukewarm, not hot, so as not to kill the yeast.
- Cheese: You can use cow cheese, ricotta, or a combination for a more interesting texture.
- Variations: Instead of raisins, you can add chocolate chips or chopped nuts to diversify the flavor.
Nutritional values
One serving of sweet cheese Easter bread (approximately 100 g) has about 350-400 calories, being a good source of protein due to the cheese and eggs. It also contains carbohydrates from flour and sugar, as well as healthy fats from butter and sour cream.
Frequently asked questions
1. Can I use cottage cheese? Yes, but make sure it is well-drained; otherwise, the filling will be too wet.
2. Can I make it in advance? The Easter bread keeps well in the fridge for a few days, but it is recommended to consume it freshly baked to maintain its fluffy texture.
3. What drinks pair well? A sweet wine or a complementary citrus tea would go perfectly with your Easter bread.
Personal notes
This sweet cheese Easter bread recipe is one of my childhood favorites. I remember how, together with my grandmother, we would spend days preparing Easter treats. Every step brought to life with patience and love reflects in the final taste, and every slice of Easter bread becomes a piece of our story.
I encourage you to try this recipe, enjoy every stage of cooking, and share the joy with your loved ones!