EASTER BREAD

(From an old Sunset Magazine)

This bread is rich.
It includes butter and milk and the pungent flavors of citrus and cardamom.
This bread is delicious with soft cheeses such as Camembert, Brie, breakfast cheese, or natural cream cheese.
Hard cheeses such as Edam, Swiss, or smoked Gouda are also excellent accompaniments

Required ingredients:

  • 1) 2 packages yeast, active dry or compressed
  • 2) ½ cup warm water (lukewarm for compressed yeast)
  • 3) 1 and 1/2 cups light cream, scalded and cooled (or undiluted evaporated milk)
  • 4) 4 to 4 and 1/2 cups unsifted regular all-purpose flour
  • 5) 5 egg yolks
  • 6) 1 cup sugar
  • 7) 1 cup (½ lb.) melted and cooled butter
  • 8) 1½ teaspoons salt .
  • 9) 2 teaspoons fresh ground cardamom
  • 10) 2 teaspoons fresh grated lemon peel
  • 11) 2 tablespoons grated orange peel
  • 12) 1 cup golden raisins
  • 13) 1 cup chopped blanched almonds
  • 14) 1 cup milk, scalded and cooled
  • 15) 2 cups rye flour

    • Procedure:
    a) Dissolve yeast in the water in a large bowl.
    b) Stir in the cream and 2 cups regular all-purpose flour, and beat until smooth.
    c) Cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, 1/2 to 1 hour.
    d) Stir in the

  • egg yolks
  • sugar
  • butter
  • salt
  • cardamom
  • lemon peel
  • orange peel
  • raisins and
  • almonds
  • beat well until thoroughly combined.

    • e) Stir in the one cup milk and the rye flour until combined,
    f) Stir in all but ½ cup of the remaining regular all-purpose flour to make a stiff dough.
    g) Sprinkle last ½ cup flour on board;
    h) Turn dough out onto floured board and knead until smooth (about ten minutes)
    i) Butter the bowl and place the kneaded dough in the bowl.
    j) Turn the dough so that the top is also greased
    k) Let the dough raise untl the size doubles.
    l) Punch the dough down and work it into a smooth ball.
    m) Place the dough in a buttered (straight sided) 4-quart pail.
    n) Let raise until size almost doubles.
    o) Bake in a moderate overn (350 degrees for about 1 and 1/2 hurd.
    p) Before removing from oven, test with a long straw or wooden skewer.
    q) Brush the top of the load with butter whil it is hot.
    r) Cool for 20 minuites and then tun pail to remove the loaf.
    s) Slice the loaf (makes about 40 slices)

    Traditionally, this bread is used to celebrate the birth of spring calves and the abundance of dairy foods.