Rosca De Pascua: Argentinian Ring Bread for Easter

Note: While there are multiple steps to this recipe, this Easter cake is broken down into workable categories to better plan for preparation and baking.

Make the Cake

1. Gather the ingredients.

2. Gently heat the milk in a pan on the stove over low heat until just warm.

3. Place the milk in the bowl of a standing mixer. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the yeast and let rest for 5 minutes.

4. With the dough hook attachment, stir in the remaining sugar and the vanilla. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, until well mixed.

5. Add half of the flour, the salt, and the lemon zest and mix well. Add the butter in small pieces, alternating with the remaining flour, and knead until it is all incorporated. Add extra flour if dough seems too wet.

6. Knead until dough is smooth, shiny, and pulls away from sides of the bowl.

7. Place dough in a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. (Alternatively, place dough in the refrigerator to rise overnight).

Make the Pastry Cream

1. Gather ingredients.

2. Place the milk in a saucepan and bring to a simmer.

3. Place the egg and egg yolk in a medium heatproof bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the sugar and whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture becomes pale yellow.

4. Sift in the flour, add a pinch of salt into the mixture, and whisk gently until incorporated.

5. Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking, and stir until smooth.

6. Transfer the egg-milk mixture back into the saucepan and return to the heat, constantly whisking, until the mixture starts to thicken and turn glossy. Cook, stirring vigorously, for 2 to 3 minutes longer.

7. Remove from heat and whisk in the butter. Let cool slightly and whisk in the vanilla.

8. Chill the pastry cream in the refrigerator, covering the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a film from forming.

Shape and Bake the Cake

1. Punch down risen dough and roll out on a floured surface into a rectangle, about 18 inches by 10 inches. Brush the surface of the dough lightly with water.

2. Roll up the dough lengthwise, tightly, into a log. Roll the log with your hands to lengthen it. Connect the ends of the log to form a ring. Place the ring carefully onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

3. Whisk the egg yolk briefly and brush over the surface of the dough. Let rise in a warm spot for about 1 hour or until almost doubled in volume.

4. Preheat oven to 375 F. Place the pastry cream in a ziplock bag and snip one corner off of the bag; alternatively, use a pastry bag with a 1/2-inch round tip. Pipe the pastry cream decoratively onto the top of the cake, reserving some pastry cream for later if desired.

5. Add maraschino cherries and nuts to decorate (or add after baking if preferred). Place the bread ring in the oven, then lower the temperature to 350 F. Bake until bread is golden brown and sounds slightly hollow when tapped gently for about 30 minutes.

6. Let cake cool completely before serving. Decorate with more pastry cream, cherries, nuts, and chocolate eggs if you like.