Choosing a Bread to Shape
Bread shaping works best with a yeast bread that rises before baking. Breads with a firm texture after rising are easiest to shape. Choose any family favorite whether a white bread, wheat bread, sourdough or sweet bread. Frozen bread dough from the grocery store works well, too.
Directions
- Start the bread according to the recipe’s directions.
- Allow it to rise once and punch it down.
- If your recipe makes more than one loaf (many yeast bread recipes yield two loafs) it will direct you to divide the dough for each loaf. Each loaf will make two bears.
- After the dough rests, continue with the following steps.
Additional ingredients needed:
- egg whites
- 1 Tablespoon water
- raisins or other dried fruit (optional).
Steps
- Take the dough for one loaf and divide it in half. Put one to the side for the second bear.
- Form one half into a ball and place it on a greased cookie sheet. Press it down lightly. This is the bear’s body.
- Divide the other half into two pieces. Form one into a ball and place it at the top for the head. Pinch the dough to connect the head to the body; if it is not sticking well use some egg white as glue.
- Divide the remaining piece into six small pieces and one tiny piece for the nose.
- Roll the six small pieces into balls and attach to the body; two to the body for arms, two to the head for ears and two to the bottom of the body for feet.
- Pinch the tiny piece to the face for a nose.
- If desired, use a sharp knife to cut small slits for eyes and a belly button. Put a small amount of egg white in the holes and place a raisin or other small dried fruit into it.
- Repeat from Step 2 for the second bear.
Once the bears are formed, cover them with a damp towel and allow it to rise in a warm place for 45 minutes or until double in size. Combine 1 Tablespoon of egg white and 1 Tablespoon of water and brush it on the bears just before baking. For an extra touch, sprinkle colored sugar or a cinnamon and sugar mix over the egg white and water glaze.
Bake in a 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for 30 minutes or until bunnies are golden brown and sound hollow when tapped. Immediately move them to a rack to cool. Serve with butter, honey or jam.
