Recipe: Buccellato di Lucca (Italian yeast bread with anise and raisins, Sunset magazine, 1980's)

The following is a close replica. I know there are other recipes posted, but this is just a bit more detailed and nuanced. It was featured in Sunset Magazine in 1989.

BUCCELLATO

In the walled medieval town of Lucca in northern Italy buccellato - sweet, anise-scented bread - is the local specialty. Studded with raisins soaked in grappa (a clear Italian brandy), this shiny, richly browned bread goes well at breakfast, or with a fruit sauce for dessert.

1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup grappa (or sweet or dry marsala)
1 package active dry yeast
1 1/2 tbsp. anise seed
3/4 cup warm milk (110 degrees F)
1/2 cup (1/4 cup) butter or margarine, at room temperature.
1/2 cup sugar
5 large eggs, divided use
1 tsp each vanilla and grated orange peel
1/2 tsp each anise extract and salt
About 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided use

Combine raisins and grappa; let stand for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, stir yeast and anise seed into milk. Let stand until yeast softens, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, using a heavy spoon or an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 4 eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Stir in vanilla, orange peel, anise extract, and salt. Add yeast mixture, grappa drained from raisins, and 4 1/2 cups flour; mix until evenly moistened.

To knead with a dough hook, beat at high speed until dough pulls cleanly from sides of bowl, 10-12 minutes; add a little flour if required. Stir in raisins.

To knead by hand, scrape dough onto a lightly floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, about 15 minutes; add as little flour as possible to stop sticking. Knead in raisins and place dough in a greased bowl; turn over to grease top.

Cover dough, kneaded by either method, with plastic wrap. Let dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. Knead briefly with dough hook or by hand on a lightly floured board to expel air; add a little flour, as required, to clean bowl (if using dough hook) to prevent sticking.

Divide dough in half. Shape each half into a 20 long rope. Place each rope on a greased 12x15-inch baking sheet; join ends of each and pinch to seal. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until puffy, 25-30 minutes.

Beat remaining egg to blend. Remove plastic; brush egg lightly over dough.

Bake in a 350 degree F oven until richly browned, 25-30 minutes. (If using one oven, switch pan positions after 15 minutes).

Serve warm or cool. For longer storage, wrap airtight and freeze up to 1 month.

Makes 2 rings, each about 1 1/3 pounds