---------- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.02
  
       Title: ITALIAN EASTER BREAD
  Categories: Breads, Italian
       Yield: 1 servings
  
     1/4 c  Sugar
       1 ts Salt
       1 pk Dry yeast
   2 1/2    To 3-1/2 cups unbleached
            -flour
     2/3 c  Milk
       2 tb Butter
       2    Eggs, at room temperature
     1/2 c  Mixed candied fruit
     1/3 c  Chopped blanched almonds.
     1/2 ts Anise seed
       2 tb Melted shortening
       5    Uncooked eggs colored with
            -Easter Egg Dye
            ICING:
       1 c  Confectioner’s sugar
       1 tb Milk
     1/8 ts Vanilla
  
   colored sprinkles
   
   In a large mixing bowl, blend the sugar, salt, and
   yeast well with 1 cup of the flour.  In a saucepan,
   combine milk and butter, heating slowly until liquid
   is warm and butter is melted.  Pour the milk into the
   dry ingredients and beat 125 strokes with a wooden
   spoon.  Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour or enough to make a
   thick batter.  beat vigorously for 2 minutes.
   
   Then stir in enough flour to make a ball of dough that
   draws away from the sides of the bowl.  Turn out onto
   a floured board and knead for about 10 minutes,
   working in additional flour to overcome stickiness.
   Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease
   the top.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and put in a
   warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk about 1
   hour.  Meanwhile, combine the fruit,nuts, and anise
   seed.  Punch down the dough and return it to a lightly
   floured board.  Knead in the fruit mixture, keeping
   the syrupy pieces dusted with flour until they are
   worked into the dough.  Divide the dough in half.
   Carefully roll each piece into a 24 inch rope - the
   fruit and nuts will make this slightly difficult.
   Loosely twist the two ropes together and form a ring
   on a greased baking sheet.  Pinch the ends together
   well.  Brush the dough with melted shortening.  Push
   aside the twist to make a place for each egg.
   
   Push eggs down carefully as far as possible.  Cover
   the bread with wax paper and let rise in a
   warm,draft-free place until double in bulk, about 1
   hour.  Bake the bread in a preheated 350 F oven for
   about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a
   twist comes out clean.  Place on a wire rack to cool.
   Once the bread is cool, drizzle the icing on top
   between the eggs, and decorate with colored sprinkles.
   Makes 1 loaf.
   
   Origin:  Hearth and Home Companion Shared by: Sharon
   Stevens
  
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