Italian Easter Bread

 Last year I ran across an idea for these Italian Easter Rolls....individual style at italiandishblog.  I love everything mini, and how cute are these with the hard boiled eggs baked right into the bread?  This bread is sweet, and pretty easy to put together, and really cute sitting next to each plate. 
Italian Easter Bread
Ingredients:  1 pkg rapid rise yeast (2 1/4 t.), 1 1/4 c. milk, pinch of salt, 1/3 c. butter, 2 eggs (beaten), 1/2 c. sugar, 3 1/2 cup flour (I used at least an additional cup), 1 egg with 1 t. water, 6 dyed (but not boiled) eggs, sprinkles
Instructions:  In a pan warm milk, and butter until butter melts.  Let cool slightly. 
In a large bowl mix yeast, salt, eggs, and sugar.  Add the warm (not hot, or the yeast won't work), milk, and butter.  Add half of the flour and beat until smooth.  Add the additional flour.  You want to add enough flour so that the dough is no longer sticky (like I said, I needed at least an additional cup).  Work the dough with your hands, kneading for 4 minutes or so.  Place in a greased bowl, cover, put in a warm area, and let it rise for an hour (until doubled). 
Divide dough into 12 pieces.  Roll long  strands out of the pieces.  Take two pieces, and twist together, and then  create a ring, pinching the two ends together. 

 These rolls look braided.  At this point, I actually put my dough, on cooking sheets (lined with parchment paper) in the fridge until the next morning.  I pulled these out about an hour before I baked them, let them rise a little more, and then put the eggs inside. 
The eggs should be dyed, but not hard boiled b/c baking the bread will actually boil the eggs.  I waited until about an hour before the meal to make these so the eggs would be edible. 
Brush the top of each roll with the egg wash, press the eggs in the middle. 

 Sprinkle the bread with sprinkles. 

 Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.  Cool and serve.