Hungarian Egg Twist bread is wonderful for everyday meals or special occasions. You can fold in nuts or dried fruit, or enjoy this slightly sweet loaf plain.
For Easter dinner, John’s parents joined us, and I always love serving freshly baked bread when they visit. My mother-in-law has a soft spot for homemade loaves, so I knew this Hungarian Egg Twist would be a hit.
I submitted this recipe to the #BreadBakers challenge, which that month highlighted Easter, Passover, and springtime breads from around the world—perfect timing for my holiday meal.
This braided Hungarian bread is often called fonott kalács. In Hungarian, kalács refers to any yeast-raised sweet bread or cake that’s typically braided and baked in a loaf or ring. Kalács are sometimes topped with walnuts or dried fruit, depending on the recipe and occasion.
Since John dislikes raisins and nuts in baked goods, I made this loaf plain—no additions—so everyone at our table could enjoy it. The finished bread is lightly sweet with a subtle lemon zest that brightens the flavor. It’s lovely sliced and toasted with jam.
The recipe suggested baking for up to 50 minutes or until the internal temperature reached 190°F, but my loaf reached about 206°F at 40 minutes. Next time I’ll start checking at 30 minutes to avoid overbaking. Overall, I enjoyed making this bread and plan to bake it again.
Don’t have time to make it now? Pin it for later!
Hungarian Egg Twist Bread Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1 cup milk, scalded and cooled to 110°F
- 1 tsp sugar
- 4 tsp active dry yeast
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 ounces butter, softened and cut into pieces (1 stick)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup light raisins (optional)
- 1 large egg yolk mixed with 1 tablespoon milk (for brushing)
Instructions
- Stir 1 teaspoon sugar and the yeast into the cooled scalded milk. Let sit 5 minutes, until foamy and activated.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine flour, salt, butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 eggs, lemon zest, and raisins if using. Mix until the dough is smooth and elastic. Transfer to a well-oiled bowl, turning once to coat.
- Cover with greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 to 1½ hours.
- Punch down the dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Divide into three equal pieces and let rest, covered, about 5 minutes. Roll each piece into a 20-inch rope. Braid the ropes into a long twist or join the ends into a circle. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and tuck the ends underneath. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk the egg yolk with the tablespoon of milk and brush over the braid. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 190°F. If the crust browns too quickly, tent with foil. Let rest at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Notes
*Scalding milk means heating it to about 180°F. This step, though less critical with pasteurized milk, helps create a lighter crumb and improves texture in many enriched breads.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This nutrition information is a guide calculated from the ingredients used. If you change brands or amounts, the values will vary.
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Below are other beautiful breads featured this month by the Bread Bakers group.
- Bacci Bread by A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Casatiello by Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Cornish Saffron Easter Bread by Pastry Chef Online
- Folar (Portuguese Easter Bread) by Passion Kneaded
- Hot Cross Buns by En la Cocina de Caro
- Hungarian Egg Twist by Hostess at Heart
- Hungarian White Bread by Magnolia Days
- Individual Braided Easter Bread by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Italian Easter Bread by La Cocina de Aisha
- Lambropsomo – Greek Easter Bread by Spice Roots
- Lithuanian Easter Raisin Bread by My Catholic Kitchen
- Mennonite Paska by Food Lust People Love
- Pane di Pasqua – Italian Easter Bread Wreath by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Russian Kulich by That’s My Home
- Tsoureki (Greek Easter Bread) by Simply Veggies
What is Bread Bakers? Bread Bakers is a group of bakers who gather each month to bake breads around a shared ingredient or theme. The group shares photos and recipes to inspire home bakers and bloggers.
How is the monthly theme chosen? Members take turns hosting and selecting the theme for each month.
Want to join? Food bloggers interested in participating can contact the group organizer by email with their blog name and URL.
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Here are a few of my other favorite breads I’ve shared for Bread Bakers:
- Caramelized Onion Gouda Casatiello
- Overnight Sourdough Bread Recipe – Perfect For Beginners
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