Italian Anise Easter Bread

Recipe Rating:	4 Ratings5
Category:	Other Breads
Collections:	Easter Treats, Favorite Breads
Serves:	Will make 2 Loaves
Prep Time:	20 Min
Cook Time:	40 Min

Ingredients

2 pkg	active dry yeast
1/2 c	warm water
1/2 c	warm milk
1 c	butter
4	eggs
3/4 c	sugar
1 tsp	salt
1 1/2 Tbsp	anise seeds
6-7 c	all purpose flour

Pinched by OneWolf65, and 3,628 more.

Mary Silva

Lightly Salted

Chappaqua, NY (pop. 83,562)

marleyjune

Member Since May 2011

Mary's Notes:

This recipe is from my dear Aunt who is 95 years old. She used to make about 40 loaves. Then every Easter morning would personally deliver them to everyone in the family before Church. This is great out of the oven or toasted with butter.

Comments from the Test Kitchen:

Subtlety sweet... tastes like Easter!

Directions

In a large bowl dissolve yeast in water, let bubble.

Then blend all other ingredients in yeast water mixture, gradually add in flour.

Knead dough 5-10 minutes. Spray a large bowl with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise for 5 hours.

Punch down after first rise, shape and place in greased loaf pans. Cover again with plastic wrap and let rise 2 more hours.

Mix one egg with 1 tablespoon of milk or water and brush tops of loaves. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes.

NOTE: If you have time, you can let this rise overnight, punch dough down and shape, put in pan and let rise 3 more hours, then bake.

Comments

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Rose Rauhauser NewYorkWoman

May 19, 2011

Mary, Do you use 2 loaf pans or can you braid this and make one bread? Thanks for sharing, I'm Rose, I have the Rustic Italian Bread on here and I'm also a born and raised New Yorker from the Bronx but still have friends and relatives in NY and Yonkers too. Thanks. Rose

Mary Silva marleyjune

May 20, 2011

This recipe will make two loaves. Have to note that in the recipe. I've never done a braid with this bread because it's not like the traditional sweet bread dough. But I guess you could give it a try. Let me know how you like it. Enjoy fellow New Yorker! :-)

Rose Rauhauser NewYorkWoman

May 20, 2011

Mary: Do you know if I can use anise extract in place of the anise seeds??? Love that licorice flavor, I posted an Italian pie with anise in it if you like that flavor. My husband and I love it. Thanks Mary, I love talking to a fellow NYer. Rose

Mary Silva marleyjune

May 20, 2011

Never tried the extract, but I'm sure it's fine.

Rose Rauhauser NewYorkWoman

May 20, 2011

Thanks, I'll get the seeds and try next week. Sometimes the Giant supermarket I go to doesn't have all the things I use in the baking dept. but I'm not too far from a Wegman's.

Deneece Gursky Smokeygirlxo

May 23, 2011

Oh wow I love anise! will def have to try this!

Barbara Enlow 3118

May 26, 2011

What is anise? I have never cooked with that! Does it have to be in this recipe I don't have it on hand, sorry. But I can look for it!

Rose Rauhauser NewYorkWoman

May 26, 2011

In case you don't hear from Mary, anise tastes just like black licorice, the flavor is very distinct, so I would say it's necessary in the recipe because of that distinct flavor. I used anise extract because I haven't found the anise seeds. This bread is great.

Mary Silva marleyjune

May 26, 2011

Thank you Rose, so true, it is a very distinct flavor. For me it's always been a part of the bread as tradition. You can do either Barbara, seeds or extract, whatever you can find. Enjoy!