Golden Thread Bread Food

EASY ITALIAN EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a large saucepan, heat milk and 2 tablespoons butter to 120°-130°. Add dry ingredients; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs; mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in fruit, almonds and aniseed until blended. Let rest for 10 minutes. Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into a 24-in. rope. Loosely twist ropes together; place on a greased baking sheet and form into a ring. Pinch ends together. Melt remaining butter; brush over dough. Gently separate ropes and tuck dyed eggs into openings. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes., Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. For glaze, in a bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency; drizzle over bread. Sprinkle with candies if desired.

GOLDEN THREAD BREAD

Steps:

• Combine sweet potatoes and raisins (or cranberries -- add as many as you like). Sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix lightly and set aside.
• Combine flour, 1 c sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and mace (or nutmeg). Sift together into a large bowl.
• Cut shortening (or butter) into dry ingredients with a pastry blender (or two butter knives) until pea-sized bits form.
• Beat egg in a small bowl. Add orange juice and water. Fold liquid into dry ingredients by hand until flour is just moistened. Fold in sweet potato mixture.
• Place batter in a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Combine 1 tb sugar and cinnamon; sprinkle on top.
• Bake at 350F for 50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool on rack.
• NOTES: This recipe takes a small sweet potato or half of a large one. The original called for two 9x5 loaf pans and baking for 40 minutes, but I like the bigger single loaf. The substitutions in parentheses are also my changes from the original.