Recipe: Easter Egg Bread

Easter Egg Bread Recipe

3 c Flour, unsifted
1/4 c Sugar
1 ts Salt
1 pk Active Dry Yeast
2/3 c Milk
2 tb Margarine
2 Eggs, room temperature
1/2 c Mixed Candied Fruits
1/4 c Blanched Almonds, chopped
1/2 ts Anise Seeds
Melted Margarine
5 Colored RAW Eggs
Powdered Sugar Colored Sprinkles

In a large bowl, mix 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Combine milk and 2 tablespoons margarine in a sauce pan and heat over low heat until warm. (Margarine does not need to be melted). Gradually add to the dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes on medium speed, scraping side occasionally. Add the eggs and / cup of flour, beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Put on a floured board and kneak until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl and turn one to coat. Cover and let rise for 1 hours. Combine fruit, nuts and seeds. Punch down dough and knead in fruit mixture. Divide in half and roll each into a 24" long rope and braid loosely to form a ring on a greased cookie sheet. Put the raw eggs in the spaces, cover and let rise until double about 1 hour. Bake 30-35 minutes in a preheated 350F oven. Cool on rack, frost with powdered sugar and sprinkles.