Best St Josephs Bread Recipes

EASY ITALIAN EASTER BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, yeast and salt. In a large saucepan, heat milk and 2 tablespoons butter to 120°-130°. Add dry ingredients; beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Add eggs; mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough. , Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour., Punch dough down; turn onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in fruit, almonds and aniseed until blended. Let rest for 10 minutes. Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into a 24-in. rope. Loosely twist ropes together; place on a greased baking sheet and form into a ring. Pinch ends together. Melt remaining butter; brush over dough. Gently separate ropes and tuck dyed eggs into openings. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 40 minutes., Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. For glaze, in a bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency; drizzle over bread. Sprinkle with candies if desired.

ST. JOSEPH'S DAY BREAD

Steps:

• Stir together in a large bowl 1 1/2 cups of the flour, yeast, honey, hot water, salt, butter and anise seeds and mix into a smooth batter.
• Stir in the golden raisins and beat for another 10 minutes, gradually adding flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky (you may not need to use all the flour).
• Place the dough into a lightly oiled bowl, and turn to coat.
• Cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Grease a baking sheet and dust with cornmeal.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and punch down.
• Roll into a long tight loaf, and place seam side down onto the prepared baking sheet.
• Use a sharp serrated knife to make 3 or four diagonal slashes on the top.
• Cover and let rise in warm place until double in size, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Mist the loaf with water of vinegar before baking, and twice during.
• Bake for 35 to 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the crust is golden brown, and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom.

ST. JOSEPH'S DAY BREAD

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the water, yeast, shortening, sugar, oil and salt.
• Let stand for 5 minutes.
• In a large mixer bowl, put 2 1/2 cups of the flour, add liquid (yeast) mixture.
• Beat by hand or on low speed of electric mixer until all ingredients are well blended.
• Stir in as much of the remaining flour as you can mix in with a spoon.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
• Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough that is smooth and elastic (about 6-8 minutes of kneading).
• Shape dough into a ball and place it into a lightly greased bowl.
• Turn dough once to grease all surfaces.
• Cover the bowl, and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled (about 40-60 minutes).
• Punch down dough, and divide it into 6 equal pieces.
• Cover it and let it rest for 10 minutes.
• Roll each piece (by hand) into a 12 inch long rope.
• Using 3 ropes for each loaf, braid the dough and secure the ends of the braid by tucking the ends underneath.
• Place the braids on greased baking sheets.
• Cover the braids, and let rise until nearly doubled (about 30-45 minutes).
• Brush top and sides of loaves with the beaten egg.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Bake in a 400°F oven for 25 minutes, or until bread tests done and is golden brown.
• Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.