Dough:
3/4 c. warm milk
3 c. bread four, divided (1/4 c & 2 3/4 c.)
1 package active dry yeast
5 T. white sugar
1 large egg beaten
1/2 t. salt
7 T. butter, melted
Finishings:
1 large egg
2 t. water
8 to 16 raisins
1/4 c. warm simple syrup
2 T. flaked coconut
- Whisk warm milk, 1/4 c. flour and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Let sit about 15 minutes to ensure yeast is active.
- Add sugar, beaten egg, salt, melted butter and most of the remaining flour (you might not need it all).
- Mix with a dough hook attachment until dough pulls away and becomes slightly elastic, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Continue kneading until dough is soft and shiny, about 10 minutes.
- Remove dough from dough hook and shape into a ball.
- Transfer to a lightly floured work surface.
- Shape dough into a round ball. Transfer to lightly oiled mixing bowl. Cover and let rise in a relatively warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Poke dough down a bit with your fingertips. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Watch the video above at this point for instructions on how to shape.
- Work dough into a uniform piece and divide into eight pieces (I like smaller rolls so I divide it into 16 pieces).
- Roll one piece into a 12" rope. Try to make one end thicker than the other.
- Cut 2"off the smaller end and 3" off the thicker end. Roll the 2" piece in to a ball for the tail. Roll the ends of the 3" piece into points, then flatten one end slightly for the face. Roll the remaining piece into a 12" rope, about 1/2"wide.
- Transfer the rope to a Silpat-lined baking sheet and make a coil for the body. The end of the coil will be the bunny's front legs and paws, so place the head on top of that, touching the body, with the flatter side facing the same way as the paws.
- Cut the back side of the head (the pointy side) about 2/3 of the way in to form the ears. Make depressions in the middle of each ear. Set the tail in place.
- Repeat to form remaining bussies. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and proof in a warm spot for 15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Beat egg and water together for egg wash.
- Remove plastic wrap from the baking sheets and brush dough with egg wash.
- Poke holes for the eyes (I used a toothpick to gently form a hole) and push raisins in the holes.
- Bake in the center of the preheated oven until beautifully browned, 12 to 15 minutes.
- Carefully remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- Brush bunnies with warm simple syrup for a beautiful shine. Sprinkle coconut onto the tails.
