Italian Bread Recipe

Italian Easter Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

1 pack of dried yeast
3/4 c of softened butter plus 1/4 c
1/3 c of milk
1 Tbsps of orange zest; grated
4 pcs eggs
3/4 c of flour plus 1/4 c of flour
1/2 c of sugar (granulated) plus 3/4 c
An egg beaten w/ a tablespoon of water
Icing sugar
1/2 tsp of salt
1/4 c of warmed water
1 Tbsp of anis seed; crushed
1 eggyolk
1 c of raisins
1/3 c of almond paste
3/4 – 1 c of almonds; sliced

Instructions:

Dissolve yeast w/ warmed water for 5 mins. Add in sugar, salt, eggs, orange zest, eggyolk, anis seed, 3/4 c butter & milk. Combine 2 c of flour then beat mixture at mid-speed w/ a mixer (10 mins).

Add in 1 c of flour at low-speed. Combine 1 & 3/4 c of flour, stir well to blend. Cover w/ plastic cooking wrap, allow to rise for 1 & 1/2 – 2 hrs.

Punch down dough, transfer to floured working surface then knead for ten minutes. Knead gently into raisins. Have dough divided into two dough balls.

Flatten to form 2 thin rounds in greased bake sheet then cover w/ plastic cooking wrap then let it rise ’til “puffy” (approximately 40-45 mins). Create topping.

For topping: Blend flour, almond-paste, and butter w/ the use of mixer ’til it resembles a crumby coarse meal. Brush w/ eggwhite & water mix.

Put toppings over bread loaves and top w/ almonds then press them lightly to loaves. Bake for 30 mins at three hundred fifty degrees Fahrenheit. Dust w/ icing sugar.

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