Easter Bread Spinelli Style...Anthony Spinelli.

As i write this,my memory reflects back to my time as a

young boy in the early 1950 time period.My mother at Easter
time made the most delicious food and baked products!
My mother passed away in 2003 but she left the older recipes
to all of her children..At Eastertime and other times of the
year i always bake her old recipes and we as a family enjoy
all of them! This recipe is for easter bread that my mother
made every easter! The secret of the great taste is patience
and time in the proper rising of the dough that will make this
fantastic tasting bread! This is the recipe....
6-cups all purpose flour.
2-packets of yeast.
1-teaspoon honey.
1-cup of warm milk..110 degrees fahrenheit.
6- ounces of sugar.
2-tablespoons of Anisette Liqueur or use Anise Extract.
1-tablespoon of lemon zest.
1-tablespoon of orange zest.
1-teaspoon salt.
1-stick of Butter soft..
4-eggs beat well.
Mix the yeast,milk,and the honey...Let sit five minutes..
Blend the butter,sugar,salt,orange zest,lemon zest together.
Mix the yeast,milk,and the honey mixture into the butter,sugar,
salt,and zest together,add 4 eggs and beat all together...
Add your flour gradually and form into dough....Knead for
about 7 minutes until dough becomes smooth and elastic..
Cover in a bowl...let rise for at least 3 hours...
After 3 hours..punch down and shape into 3 braids or form
into one long loaf of bread..Cover again...let rise another
one and one half hours..Brush top with melted butter..
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes...
If you decide to braid the dough...split into 3 pieces...
roll into 3 long round ropes...braid together...do as above.
Enjoy this great Easter Bread! God Bless Easter! Anthony Spinelli.