Sweet braided dough

Ingredients for 1 servings:

• 1 kg flour
• ½ tbsp salt
• 30 g yeast
• 50 g sugar (possibly up to 100 g)
• 1 lemon(s), grated peel only
• 150 g butter
• 500 ml milk
• 2 eggs
• 50 g almonds, peeled
• 1 raisin
• Raisins
• Sugar glaze
• 1 egg(s), beaten
• 100 g sultanas
• 1 egg(s), beaten

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour 30 minutes

Easter carp, Easter bunny or Easter wreath

Sift flour into a bowl, make a well in the center, and sprinkle the salt over the edge. Dissolve the yeast with the sugar, melt the butter in a small pan, and cool it with the milk. Add all ingredients to the flour, mix, and knead by hand for 10 to 15 minutes, until the dough is elastic and smooth and has small air pockets when cut. Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This can be used to form an Easter carp: Divide the dough into 3 pieces. Shape each piece into a flat, oval loaf. Cut slits on the sides and at one end for the fins, then gently stretch them out to form the fins. To mark the scales, cut slits in the dough with scissors and insert about 50g of peeled almonds into these slits. Use a raisin for the eye. Let the fish rest for about half an hour, then bake at medium heat (about 200°C) for about 30 minutes. Or an Easter bunny: Divide the dough into 6 to 10 pieces. From each of these pieces, form 1 large and 2 smaller balls. The larger ball will form the body, one of the smaller balls will form the head. Place both close together on a baking sheet and flatten slightly. Stretch the third ball slightly, place it close to the head, and cut deeply into it with scissors to create the ears. Press in raisins for eyes, and perhaps whiskers made from thin twigs or broom bristles (caution: nylon bristles melt during baking!). The bunny can also be decorated with icing after baking. Let the bunny rise, chill for 10 minutes, brush with beaten egg, and bake in a well-preheated oven (180°C) for about 30 minutes. Or an Easter wreath: After kneading, but before proving, work 100g of sultanas into the dough. Divide the dough (except for a small piece for garnish) into 3 pieces. Shape into three equal strands and braid them into a simple plait. Place the plait in a ring on a baking tray and cover the seam with cut-out dough figures. Place a small bowl in the center of the wreath to prevent the plait from sticking together during proving. After proving, refrigerate the wreath for at least 30 minutes. Remove the bowl, brush the wreath with beaten egg, and bake in a preheated oven at medium heat (approx. 180°C) for 30 to 40 minutes.