Italian Sweet Bread With Duck Eggs

This Italian Sweet Bread is soft, lightly sweet, and made for sharing! Rich duck eggs, warm milk, butter, lemon zest, and a touch of vanilla come together to create a tender, flavorful dough that bakes into beautiful golden braided loaves. Finished with a simple egg wash and colorful sprinkles, this homemade sweet bread is as pretty as it is delicious. Enjoy it warm from the oven with a little butter, serve it alongside breakfast or brunch, or bring it to your next family gathering. With two loaves to share, there’s plenty for everyone around the table!

Prep Time

30 Mins

Cook Time

30 Mins

Serves

Ingredients

For the dough:

1 package (2¼ teaspoons) instant dry yeast
1 tablespoon plant sugar
½ cup warm milk
½ cup avocado oil
3 duck eggs, room temperature
¾ cup plant sugar
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup warm milk
½ cup melted butter or coconut oil, slightly cooled
6 cups protein bread flour, plus more as needed

For the egg wash:

1 egg
1 tablespoon milk

For topping:

Sprinkles, as desired

Preparation

Activate the yeast. In a large mixing bowl, combine the yeast, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and ½ cup of warm milk. Stir gently and let sit for about 5–10 minutes, until the mixture looks foamy.
Add the wet ingredients. Once the yeast has activated, add the avocado oil, room-temperature duck eggs, ¾ cup sugar, lemon zest, vanilla, 1 cup warm milk, and melted butter or coconut oil. Mix until everything is well combined.
Add the flour. Gradually add the flour, about 1 cup at a time, mixing between additions. Once the dough becomes too thick to stir, transfer it to a lightly floured surface and begin kneading. Knead for about 8–10 minutes, adding a little more flour if needed, until the dough is smooth, soft, and slightly tacky but not overly sticky.
Let the dough rise. Shape the dough into a ball and place it in a lightly greased bowl. Turn the dough once so the surface is lightly coated with oil. Cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for about 2 hours, or until noticeably doubled in size.
Punch down the dough. Gently press down on the risen dough to release some of the air. The dough should feel soft and spring back slightly when pressed.
Shape the loaves. Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a long rope. Group the ropes into two sets of three and braid each set together to form two loaves. Place the braided loaves on parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving plenty of room between them.
Prepare the egg wash. Whisk together 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of milk. Brush the tops of the braided loaves generously with the egg wash.
Add the sprinkles. Immediately sprinkle the tops with your favorite sprinkles while the egg wash is still wet so they stick to the bread.
Bake. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the loaves for approximately 30 minutes, or until they are beautifully golden brown and cooked through
Cool and enjoy. Let the loaves cool for at least 15–20 minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature. The bread is especially delicious fresh from the oven with a little butter.