Ingredients

5 eggs
1/4 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup milk
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup mixed candied fruit
1/3 cup chopped blanched almonds
1/2 teaspoon anise

Cooking Instructions

1. Color the 5 eggs with egg dye. In a large mixing bowl, blend the white
sugar, salt, and yeast well with 1 cup of the flour.
2. In a saucepan, combine 2/3 cup milk and butter, heating slowly until liquid
is warm and butter is melted. Pour the milk into the dry ingredients and beat
125 strokes with a wooden spoon. Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour or enough to
make a thick batter. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Stir in enough flour to
make a ball of dough that draws away
from the sides of the bowl.
3. Turn out onto a floured board and knead for about 10 minutes, working in
additional flour to overcome stickiness. Place the dough in a greased bowl,
turning to grease the top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and put in a warm,
draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, combine the fruit, nuts, and anise seed.
5. Punch down the dough and return it to a lightly floured board. Knead in
the fruit mixture, keeping the syrupy pieces dusted with flour until they are
worked into the dough. Divide the dough in half.
6. Carefully roll each piece into a 24-inch rope–the fruit and nuts will make
this slightly difficult. Loosely twist the two ropes together and form a ring on
a greased baking sheet. Pinch the ends together well. Brush the dough with
melted shortening. Push aside the twist to make a place for each egg. Push
eggs down carefully as far as possible. Cover the bread with wax paper and
let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
7. Bake the bread in a preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for
about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a twist comes out clean.
Place on a wire rack to cool.
8. Once the bread is cool, drizzle the icing on top between the eggs, and
decorate with colored sprinkles. To make icing: mix togethe
 
 
 "But He answered and said, "It is written, 'MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD.'" (Matthew 4:4)