Easter Bread

Submitted by: Rick Tytko  Brecksville, Ohio

Ingredients:

• 2 cakes yeast or 3pkgs. Dry
• 1/2 tsp. Sugar
• 2 cups milk, scalded
• 1 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 5 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
• 9+ cups of flour, sifted

Directions:

1. First scalded milk and melt butter.
2. At the same time mix yeast, 1/2 tsp. sugar and lukewarm water and set aside until it proofs.
3. In a large bowl, mix melted butter into scalded milk then set aside to cool.
4. Beat the eggs until foamy.
5. Stir cooled milk mixture into foamy eggs.
6. Add salt, vanilla and yeast mixture.
7. Blend in flour a couple of cups at a time and knead until it is not sticky (knead about (8-10 minutes). See note.
8. Put in a lightly greased bowl, cover and let rise about 1 1/2 hours.
9. Punch down in the middle and let rise again about 1 hour.
10. Divide into 4 or 5 equal parts and let sit 10 minutes.
11. Place in bread pans and let rise once more for 30-40 minutes.
12. Bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes.

NOTE: you can add 1 to 1 1/4 cups of raisins to the dough if preferred. Add before beginning to let the dough rise