Grandma Rose's Italian Easter Bread 1947

Total Time: 40 mins Preparation Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 1 quart whole milk, scalded and room temp
• 12 large eggs
• 2 oranges, juice and zest of
• 2 lemons, juice and zest of
• 4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 cups room temp. butter
• 3/4 tablespoon salt
• 1/4 lb fresh bakery yeast
• flour, enough to make a soft but not sticky dough

Recipe

• 1 scald whole milk and let cool, add in the yeast.
• 2 beat eggs, and juice, and zest.
• 3 beat sugar and butter until fluffy continue to beat well.
• 4 add the beaten egg mixture into the beaten sugar butter mixture.
• 5 combine with the cooled scaled milk , and yeast mixture.
• 6 combine well, add sifted flour, continue adding flour until a soft dough comes together.
• 7 turn out onto a table and knead until soft, not too sticky, 5- 10 minutes.
• 8 let double in a greased bowl, covered.
• 9 punch down and let rise again.
• 10 form into braids after second rising, or put into loaf pans.
• 11 let rise until almost doubled bake 350 degrees, until golden, 20 minutes approximately.
• 12 note; the amount of flour can be anything from 8- 12 cups, or more. but add gradually until you have a soft slightly sticky dough -- where when touched your finger comes away tacky but not sticking to the bread board.keep your dough soft not firm --.
• 13 all depends on flour and humidity and how much juice from your oranges and lemons.
• 14 can braid and place under braiding but showing raw eggs or already coloured, eggs will cook while baking, for an easter morning delight.
• 15 directions on making the dough, can vary, as i have done the procedure in different ways, and now we can't get fresh compressed yeast in our stores, so i use active dry yeast, usually 2 tablespoons.