You will need: Fireclay stones
Fireclay brick: approx. 160-180°C
Top heat: approx. 220-250°C
Preheating: approx. 30 minutes
Working hours: 25 minutes
Baking time: ca. 30-35 minutes

Ingredients:
(for 4 Easter loaves)

• 1 kg wheat flour type 405 or wheat flour type 550
• 1 cube of yeast (room temperature)
• 160 g sugar
• 120 g melted butter
• 2 eggs (M)
• 1 pinch of salt
• Zest of half an organic lemon
• approx. 500 ml milk, lukewarm
• 100 g almond slivers
• 150 g raisins (soaked in rum)
• 100 g candied lemon peel/orangette each, as desired

In addition:

• approx. 70 g melted butter for spreading
• Sugar

Place the flour in the mixing bowl of the food processor and crumble the yeast over it. Add the sugar, butter, eggs, salt, lemon zest and milk and knead everything into a medium-strength yeast dough. Finally, briefly knead in the almond slivers, raisins, candied lemon peel and candied orange peel.

Cover and leave to rise at room temperature for approx. 1.5-2 hours until the dough has doubled in volume.

Place the dough on a lightly floured work surface, divide into 4 equal pieces and shape into round loaves.

Using a very sharp knife, cut the loaves crosswise to a depth of approx. 1 cm and leave the Easter loaves to rise, covered, for a further 30-40 minutes.

During this time, heat the Merklinger to 220-250°C.

Pick up the loaves with a floured pizza peel, place in the hot Merklinger and bake for approx. 30-35 minutes until golden brown.

Remove from the oven, brush with melted butter while still hot and sprinkle with sugar.

Tip:

You can also make the dough for the Easter loaves the evening before. Simply halve the amount of yeast, use cold ingredients and place the dough in a bowl or proofing tray with a lid in the fridge overnight.