Trigiani Family Venetian Easter Bread

Ingredients

Instructions

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   In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a wire whisk or paddle attachment, combine the Kosher salt, flour, and sugar.

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   In a separate small bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water and set aside for several minutes until bubbly. Heat the milk.

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   Add the yeast mixture to the flour mixture. Mix on medium speed until you have a smooth, solid, sticky paste, 2 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray and several dish towels—place in a warm room, preferably with sunlight. Allow rising until it doubles in size, 2 - 3 hours. While the sponge rises, prepare your orange and lemon zest and juice. Cut up your butter, and measure your remaining ingredients.

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   In a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Add the sugar slowly and beat until light and fluffy, 2 minutes. Add the eggs, in two batches, and beat until blended (do not overbeat!) Add the zests, juices, extracts, anisette, and rum. Mix until just combined.

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   Transfer the risen sponge into a large tub or bowl. Add the egg mixture to the dough and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the flour cup by cup, stirring and beating to incorporate. When the mixture becomes too thick to stir, use your hands. When the dough becomes a solid, sticky mass, turn out onto a floured surface (using flour from the 5 1/2 pounds) and knead, adding flour as necessary until you have a firm, smooth dough. This kneading on the board can take up to 10 minutes. Stop when you don't need to incorporate more flour. Wash out the large tub or bowl, and grease it with butter. You may not use all of the flour. Reserve the leftover flour for forming your loaves.

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   Place the dough mass into the tub or bowl, butter the top of the dough generously, and cover with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray and several dish towels. Allow to rise until double in size, 4 to 5 hours. When the dough is close to doubled, Preheat your oven to 350 F and generously grease your pans with vegetable shortening. Prepare the loaves in one of three formats: rectangular loaf, round loaf, or a round loaf of separate buns.

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   When the dough has doubled in size, put on a floured surface and knead slightly. To make separate buns, take a piece of dough about the size of a woman's fist, and roll it out between your hands to the proportion of a sausage. Place on a surface, and pat it down to about 2 inches in width and 1/2 inch in depth. Wrap the piece of dough around the first and middle fingers of your free hand to about 3 inches in length. Tuck in the top end and place standing up in a round baking pan. Start by putting one bun in the middle and fill around the pan with the buns also standing on end. Butter the tops and cover with plastic wrap. Rise until quite puffy, about 1 to 2 hours, and the dough doubles in size. Place the dough directly in the pans to make a round or rectangular loaf—butter the tops of the loaves and cover to rise for 1 to 2 hours. When the round or rectangular loaf has fully risen, make shallow slashes in the tops in the form of a cross.

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    Bake the loaves until the tops are light brown, and they temp to 190 F or above. This can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the size of your loaf. When baked, cool the bread for 10 minutes, remove to a rack, brush the tops with honey and cool completely. When the loaves are completely cool, brush again with honey and sprinkle with sparkle sugar.