Easter Bread

Easter Bread

1/4 cup sugar

1 t. salt

1 envelope yeast

3 cups flour

2/3 cups milk

4 T. butter

2 eggs

1/2 cup mixed candied fruit

1/3 cup chopped almonds

1/2 t. anise seed

6 uncooked, colored Easter eggs

1 cup confectioner's sugar

1 T. Milk

1/2 t. vanilla

Combine sugar, salt and yeast with 1 cup of flour. Set aside.

Combine milk and half of butter and heat until butter melts. Pour into yeast mixture and stir. Add eggs and flour. Turn out onto floured board and knead until dough is smooth and elastic. Place dough in greased bowl. Cover and let dough rest for about an hour.

Combine fruit, nuts and anise seed.

Punch down dough. Mix fruit/nut/seed mixture into dough, then divide dough in half. Form dough into ropes, then twist ropes together and fasten dough in a ring shape on a greased baking sheet. Melt remaining butter and use it to brush dough.

Separate ring in six spots, pressing uncooked eggs firmly into dough ring. Cover dough and allow to rest again for about an hour.

Place bread in preheated 350-degree oven. Bake for 45 minutes.

When bread cools, combine confectioner's sugar, milk and vanilla. Drizzle icing over loaf before serving.