First, preheat the oven to 200°F and measure out the meringue ingredients with the measuring cup and spoons.
Next, separate the egg whites from the yolks.
Then, prepare a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
Add the egg whites to the mixing bowl of the stand mixer.
Start beating the egg whites on low speed, slowly increasing to high speed.
Beat for about 4 minutes.
Add in the salt and cream of tartar and mix for another 15 seconds.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1 tbsp at a time. Beat the mixture for 15 seconds between each addition. After the sugar is completely mixed in, add and mix in the vanilla extract.
Then, beat again at high speed, for about 8 minutes, until the meringue can hold a nice peak.
Next, grab 2 medium-size mixing bowls. Scoop a ½ cup of the meringue into 1 of the bowls, this will be for the yellow, and another 1 cup into the other bowl that will be used for the pink. Leave the rest in the big bowl, this meringue will stay white. Then, get your piping bags ready by cutting a small tip from each of the bags and insert a metal piping tip as follows:Yellow- 8 round tipPink- 4b tipWhite- 807 tip
Then, use a toothpick to add a small amount of yellow food coloring, or use 1 drop at a time, to the bowl with ½ cup of meringue.
Then beat the yellow mixture with a blending whisk.
Then, transfer the yellow meringue to its piping bag, making sure not to leave any air bubbles inside of the piping bag. Tie it off with a piping bag tie.
Then, use a toothpick to add a small amount of pink food coloring, or use 1 drop at a time, to the bowl with 1 cup of meringue.
Beat the pink mixture with a blending whisk.
Next, transfer the pink meringue to its piping bag, making sure not to leave any air bubbles inside of the piping bag. Tie it off with a piping bag tie.
Then, transfer the white meringue to its piping bag, making sure not to leave any air bubbles inside of the piping bag. Tie it off with a piping bag tie.
Once your colored meringues are ready, it’s time to start making the cookies.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Starting with the white meringue, make the bird's bodies by squeezing out a dollop and making a slight swooping motion at the end.
Then, make the same dollop and swoop motion on top of the bodies with the pink meringue to make the wings.
Next, squeeze a small amount of the yellow meringue at the tip of the bird's body to make little beaks.
Bake the meringue birds for 50 minutes.
After baking, let the cookies cool in the oven for an additional hour. Make sure to keep the oven closed during the whole cooling process.
Then, after cooling completely, use the black food pen to draw the eyes on the bird cookies.
Finally, set the meringue birds aside while making the Easter bread.
Making the Easter Bread
First, gather up and measure out all of the ingredients using the measuring cups and spoons.
Then, in a large glass mixing bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast, and sugar.
Using a blending whisk, whisk the ingredients together until well combined.
Then, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, or a disposable shower cap (my preference). Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes.
The yeast mixture is ready when it has formed bubbles on top.
Next, grab your lemon zesting gear and protect your hands with disposable vinyl gloves.
Over a mixing bowl, use the zester to zest 1 whole lemon.
Then, slice the lemon in half and use a hand juicer to squeeze out the lemon juice into a cup or small bowl.
Next, whisk the 3 eggs in a large mixing bowl.
Add in the vanilla extract and yogurt and mix well.
Then, add in the lemon zest and fresh lemon juice.
Mix again until ingredients are completely combined.
Then, in a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt.
Mix well with a clean blending whisk.
Then, prepare a stand mixer with a beater attachment.
Add the butter and brown sugar to the mixing bowl of the mixer.
Mix the ingredients together until a creamy texture is reached.
Then, pour in the egg mixture.
Mix again until the ingredients are completely combined.
Then, add in the yeast mixture and mix well again.
Swap out the attachment for the dough hook. Add in the flour, ½ at a time, while kneading on speed 3 for 15 minutes.
Keep mixing and kneading the dough until it forms one large dough ball.
Cover the glass bowl with plastic wrap or a disposable shower cap.
Then, cover the bowl again with a wet kitchen towel to hold in the warmth. Let the dough rise for 2 hours.I like to place the dough bowl on a heat pad to help it rise. If you don’t have one then just sit your dough in the warmest spot of your house.
After rising, check to make sure the dough has doubled in size.
Next, prepare the raisins by letting them soak in boiling hot water for 15 minutes.This step helps ensure plump, juicy raisins.
Then, strain and drain the raisins.
Next, add the raisins and almond slivers to the dough bowl.
Mix in the stand mixer until fully combined.
Then, line a baking sheet with foil. Spread out several Panettone Paper Molds over the lined tray.
Spray the inside of each paper mold with cooking spray.
Then, using your hands, fill each of the molds ¾ full.
Cover and let the dough rise in the molds, in a very warm spot, for 1 hour.
After rising, bake the Easter bread at 350°F for 20-25 minutes on the lowest shelf in the oven.
Finally, after baking, remove the bread from the oven and let them cool completely.
Making the Lemon Glaze
First, use the juicer to juice one fresh lemon.
Then, measure out the powdered sugar with the measuring cup.
Then, combine the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a large glass mixing bowl.
Mix the lemon glaze ingredients with a blending whisk.
Keep mixing until the glaze is shiny and the ingredients are completely combined.
Decorating Kulich
First, lay out a sheet of parchment paper and place a cooling rack on top of it. This is to catch any spills or messes
Spread the cooled Easter breads over the rack.
Grab the decorating ingredients and the Easter meringue birds.
Then, begin spooning the lemon glaze over each of the breads.
Following the glaze, add the sprinkles right away. Make sure to move quickly as the glaze will start to harden quickly.
Lastly, add the meringue cookies by pressing them lightly into the icing. Make sure you do this step at the very last minute!
Gift Wrapping
To wrap these tasty treats for Easter gift-giving, just wrap an individual Easter bread with plastic and finish off with a cute bow.
Video
Notes
Easter Bread Tips:
Put meringue decorations on at the last minute! If you try to store them already decorated in an airtight container, the meringue cookies will soften from the moisture of the kulich.
To attach meringue cookies to the hardened icing: put a little dollop of leftover icing on the back of the cookie and press it gently on top of the hardened icing.
If you make this recipe a day or two ahead of time, wait on the glazing and decorating steps until a few hours right before serving or gifting.