How to make
Easter Mona is a typical festive sweet bread for some areas in Spain - Valencia, Catalonia, Castilla La Mancha, Murcia, Aragon. Depending on the area, it may differ in some ingredients or in its decoration. Here I have the basic recipe for Mona, so that you can try something a little different from the typical Easter bread, which be aromatic and delicious.
The first dough is prepared the day before. The water, flour and yeast are mixed and a ball is formed, which is wrapped in cling film or sealed hermetically in a suitable container. Leave it in the fridge overnight.
The next day, take it out and let it rise at room temperature for about 20 minutes or until it rises a lot.
During this time, sift the rest of the flour into a bowl, add the slightly beaten eggs with the sugar, the milk - slightly warmed, the salt, the orange peel and juice, the first risen dough (the mother dough, as the Spanish call it) and the other 0.4 oz (12 g) of yeast.
The olive oil is poured little by little, by kneading a soft dough - at first very sticky.
Transfer onto a floured surface and work with it until it becomes smooth, elastic and non-sticky. Add flour a little at a time, without overdoing it. Shape it into a ball and return it into the bowl, wrap it with a damp cloth and leave it to rise for about 2 hours.
The risen dough is kneaded again and formed into a smooth ball, which is placed in a 9.5″ (24 cm) diameter baking pan covered with baking paper. It is wrapped again and left for about 1 hour in a warm place. As soon as it has tripled in volume, spread it with a yolk beaten with a little water and sprinkle it generously with sugar moistened with orange juice. In some areas, it is smeared with beaten egg white and a hole is formed in the center, in which a painted Easter egg is placed. You'll also encounter an Easter Mona sprinkled with multi-colored sprinkles or sliced almonds.
Bake at 320°F (160°C) for about 30 minutes or it is fully baked.
Enjoy and have a nice holiday!
