Raw eggs (for dyeing)Decorative, not eaten, will cook in the ovensome
Food coloringFor dyeing eggssome
Egg washOne egg beaten with a splash of milk or water~1est.
Sprinkles/nonpareilsEaster-colored, any of your choice~2 tbspest.
Steps
1
Pour hot water into several cups, add food coloring, and drop in raw eggs to dye them. Let sit for about an hour. There's no need to hard-boil the eggs beforehand since they'll cook in the oven with the bread—they're purely decorative and not eaten.
2
In a bowl with the flour and salt, add the warmed milk, water, and butter. Mix in the yeast, sugar, orange zest, and eggs, then knead until a smooth dough forms. Be sure to add vanilla early in the process if you haven't already.
3
Cover the dough and let it rise for about 3 to 4 hours until doubled in size. Because this is an enriched dough with eggs, butter, and milk, it will take longer to rise than a basic dough.
4
Once risen, punch down the dough and divide it into portions depending on the size of bread you want (e.g., cut into four pieces, then halve each for eight smaller pieces).
5
Roll out two equal pieces of dough into long strands, twist them together to form a braided wreath shape, and pinch the ends together to seal.
6
Place the braided loaves on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let them rise again for about 45 minutes to an hour, until doubled.
7
Nestle the dyed eggs into the center of the shaped dough, then brush the tops with egg wash (a beaten egg mixed with a little milk or water).
8
Sprinkle with Easter-colored nonpareils or sprinkles of your choice, then bake in a 350°F oven until golden brown.
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