Grandma Sadie's Time Honored Italian Easter Bread

                              AND how I  did my best to destroy my kitchen

 Look at these festive loaves. Lovely yeast risen lemon breas glazed with a lemon frosting and the traditional sprinkles.
It's a little hard to believe that they came out at all.  I'm going to do my best to recount my adventure. Hopefully, it's going to make everyone feel better about any of your kitchen calamities 

Every year I ask what happened to the large bucket is and every year the answer is "I don't know". Mind you, my "kids" are in their 30's and 40's!  So once again I get in my car to scout a bucket large enough to hold the 10+ pounds of flour etc. In the past there have been times I was unable to find one and had to divide it in separate bowls all over the kitchen.{ I don't' recommend that method. When I got up the the next morning, the bread had not only risen but rolled across the counter and all over the stove. I had such fun cleaning the burners}.

I lucked out and found one super cheap, brought it home and promptly lost it. So, while I was trying to remember, I set about to get all the ingredients ready. Now, where did I put that recipe. It's very important to keep recipes (especially important ones like this) in a special place. I have several "special" places where I put things so I don't forget where they are. If I could only remember where these special places are.

 I found two versions. One was from My uncle Lenny and one from my Aunt Jo. {They have both passed away}. Lenny would call me every year. It was the only phone call that didn't start with hello "Sha". "Are you making the bread"???  Of cource I'm making the bread.  I have to make it. It is an honor to have that recipe. Besides, he would know if I didn't because  long sincethe dearly departed  relatives would come to him in a dream  and snitch on me.

 Lennie's recipe was four long typed out pages and Jo's was on two hand written file cards. I chose the latter. Then I stood back and thought that maybe , just maybe I could skip it this year. I swear to you just as I said that a huge boom of thunder shook the house. Seriously! I looked up and said "OK.! OK". !

Found the bucket. Found the other ingredients and so it began. First of all, it is VERY important to have all your ingredients measured out and ready to go. It is also important that you do a double check just to make sure. I put the whole thing together and looked at the salt sitting next to me. Thinking that it wouldn't make THAT much difference...dang it I had to sprinkle in the salt and knead it all over again.

Lenny's instructions on the first page talked about when and how you put this and that and the rest in a large saucepan. Make sure you...but you don't want to...just make sure.  Aunt Jo's said: put it all in a pot and melt it on low. I liked her idea better.  I proofed the yeast, melted the ingredients over low heat put all ten pounds of flour in the bucket and cracked two dozen eggs. I thought it would be so much easier if I whisked the eggs real quick in my food processor instead of standing there and doing it by hand. Not a good idea.  Did you know that the second you turn on a processor with 24 eggs in it that it will give your kitchen a whole new look??? Even with the top on it managed to get the cabinets, wall, me and the floor. I don't know how much had spilled so I had to cracked anoth 24 eggs (good thing I'd gone to Sam's) With what was left of the first batch, I made my dog an omelet.

 I made a well into the middle of the flour and went to get the melted ingredients.  Whatever made me think that just because it was barely on a simmer THAT THE PAN WOULDN'T BE HOT! I lifted the handle which was ok, so I put my other had on the other side of the pan. It was like walking on hot coals. I'm trying so hard to get to the bucket without spilling it. yelling "OOH...HOT...HOT...OOH.  (why would I think yelling would help) Part of it went into the  lid of a pan, part into a cup and some on my spoon holder. All, it seemed, in slow motion. Thank goodness they were all clean. The mixture had hardened on the surfaces so I scraped the mix beck into the pan and let it melt. There was no way I was doing this part all over.

 

 

 

 

The next day the dough had risen beautifully. I turned on the oven to let it preheat.  I divided the dough and put them in pans to rest. The first batch went in, I set the timer and went to take a much needed break.  The timer goes off and I make my way back to the kitchen. Are you aware that the oven  works  better when you actually push the start button???\\

  Hours later, they are finally baked and I made the glaze. I like to use a little meringue  powder so the icing sets. It's a little pricy, but it lasts a long time UNLESS YOU HIT IT WITH A SPOON AND IT DECORATES THE KITCHEN FLOOR THAT YOU JUST CLEANED BECAUSE OF FLYING EGG CATASTROPHE! I don't know why it didn't dawn on me that a superfine silky powder on a tile floor was really, really slippery. I went to get the paper towels (I'm on my second roll) and slid across the floor into a cabinet. That's a bruise. Also, it helps to keep an old toothbrush under the sink so you can scrub meringue powder out of the grout if the occasion should ever arise. I like helpful household tips. Don't you?

Finally, frosted and decorated with a little coconut and the required sprinkles. The sprinkles were a little sparse this year. Little known factoid: Did you know that if you spill half a jar of  sprinkles onto your twice cleaned floor and you step on them they all stick to your feet and you scream?

Done. Finally. Then I looked at the kitchen. Again, it's a good thing I went to Sam's and bought dish washing liquid. Needless to say, dinner was late.

After my morning piece of Easter bread from a few different loaves, they brought back every wonderful memory of times past and the people I loved so dearly. Sadie would make the kids little ones shaped like bunnies. Thank you my family for a lifetime of experiences I wouldn't trade for anything.

By the way, the last large bread had an odd taste. That part seemed to have a lot of salt!

I've hidden the bucket.

                                 Sadie's Easter Bread 

Preheat oven to 350. Use prepared (sprayed, etc.) tube, angelfood or bundt pans. (they need to have a hole in the middle)

This recipe can be halved easily and frozen unfrosted. It also makes excellent french toast!

Remember, I use organic and unhydrogenized shortening as well as pasture raised eggs. While this is a once a year treat, I always use the cleanest well sourced ingredients.

Melt on low heat:
5 c water
1lb   unhydrogenated  shortening (I use Spectrum)
1/2 cup oil (I use organic grapeseed)
5 c organic sugar
2  Tablespoons salt  
 (keep luke warm)

Dissolve:
4 packets yeast in a small bowl with 1 cup of water . Set aside to proof.

Wisk :
In a REALLY large bowl... 24 eggs 
Add 1:
 2 oz. bottle of lemon extract. (I also add the zest of 2 large lemons)


In a bucket:
(a large container you can buy for pool toys etc. works well)
10 lbs. flour
 (plus 1-2 lbs in case you need it)
(King Arthur or Bob's Red Mill) and make a well in the middle.

Pour in all the ingredients you set aside and knead. Kneed...and knead some more util totally mixed.  If the dough is sticky, add some of the reserved flour 1 cup at a time until the
dough comes off your hands easily.  This is considered an upper body workout, so you can just do the lower body exercises at the gym. LOL

My family blesses the bread. I use it as a time of reflection of all those who have gone before me.

If you make it at night, it can rise until morning. If you make it in the morning, it should be ready to bake in the evening.

Punch dough down, put onto a clean counter and divive.  The large pans come in at about 2 lbs. each. Let rest in the pan for 1/2 hour.

Bake about 30-35 minutes. You might want to check it at 25 minutesdepending on your oven.
If it sounds hollow, or a tester comes out clean, it's done.

Let cool and make glaze:
4 cups organic powdered sugar
1/4 c meringue (optional)
Zest and juice of one fresh loemon (or to taste)
water.
I like to make it in my processor. Add 1 Tblsp water until desired consistency is reached.
It should be able to cascade down the sides.

Drizzle the glaze over the bread and let it fall down the sides.

Decorate with:
coconut (I use unsweetened)
multicolored (tiny round balls) sprinkles.

Shout Alleluia it's ready. (just kidding. Ok, I did it)
Eat.