Recipe: Easter Sweet Bread with Anisette Glaze

Easter Sweet Bread with Anisette Glaze
Source: Claire's Italian Feast by Claire Criscuolo (Plume; October, 1998)
Makes 1 (10-inch) bundt loaf

My Aunt Rose makes this traditional Italian sweet bread every Easter, and now, I make it at home and in my restaurant. Serve it with a cup of espresso or a glass of milk. Leftovers will keep for several days, so enjoy them on your afternoon coffee break.

1/2 cup milk
8 ounces butter (2 sticks) cut into several pieces
5 eggs
2 teaspoons lemon extract
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
Grated zest of 1 orange
1/2 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)
1/4 cup warm tap water
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
5 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder

Heat the milk and butter in a pot over medium heat until the butter melts and the milk scalds. Turn into a large bowl. Set aside for about 20 minutes to cool slightly.

Using a whisk beat the eggs, lemon extract, sugar, salt, orange zest, and juice into the milk mixture.

Measure the warm water into a bowl. Sprinkle the yeast over the water, stir briefly to mix, and set aside to proof for about 10 minutes, or until it foams. In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Stir to mix.

After the yeast has proofed, add it to the liquid mixture and beat well with a whisk. Add the flour mixture all at once and beat with a spoon.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 10-inch tube pan with nonstick cooking spray. Turn the batter into the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to scrape out the bowl and to smooth the top of the batter. Bake for 1 hour, or until the top is golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Turn out to cool slightly before cutting. If desired, drizzle with Anisette Glaze.

Anisette Glaze
2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons anisette liqueur
2 tablespoons milk or soy milk

Combine the ingredients in a bowl. Stir until smooth and creamy. Use immediately.