**PeePs** & Pezzuto's Italian Easter Sweet Bread!*!*!

Firstly... Nothing says EaSteR like PEEPS!!!

I have loved these sticky sweet delights as long as I can remember!*!*!

"Yummy"... Just about Every Easter I make this delightful recipe that I acquired from my Italian girlfriend's Mom, MRS. PEZZUTO...  This recipe goes way back to my High School Years when I lived in Illinois!!!  I remember going over to Terry's home & couldn't stop eating this delicious homemade bread of Maryann's...  Years later when I moved to Nevada, an opened up my "Sweet Treats Bake Shop" ~ these personal-sized delightful Sweet Bread Loaves "headlined" the outdoor chalkboard every EaSTer HoLiday...  The bread tends to dry-out quickly ~ but tastes GREAT TOASTED!*!*!  The recipe is quite easy to make even if you've never done a "yeast" bread...   

PEZZUTO'S ITALIAN EASTER SWEET BREAD

1 cup of milk scalded...

2 tablespoon yeast

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

4 eggs (total)

6-7 cups of flour (total)

2 Tablespoons Shortening

Candy sprinkles

•Dissolve 2 tablespoons of yeast in a 1/4 cup of warm water...

  Let rise for about 15 minutes while you're doing other things...

•Beat together 3 Eggs - set aside...

•Scald 1 cup of milk...

•Add a 1/2 cup of the softened butter to the scalded milk - stir...

•ADD:  1 cup of sugar... 1 teaspoon salt...

•ADD:  2 cups of white flour... 

•BEAT ALL OF THE ABOVE TOGETHER: milk,butter,sugar,salt,flour

•Add the Now Foamy Yeast Mixture...

•Add the 3 Beaten Eggs that you had set aside...

•BEAT

•STIR-IN by hand an additional 4 Cups of Flour...

•Form a ball with the dough...

•Fill a one-cup measure with flour... Use some of this for the counter &

   kneading as necessary - will vary - you may not use it all - less is better.   

 •Knead Dough for about 8 minutes...

•Ball Up the now kneaded dough...

•Coat a large bowl with shortening... (do not use oil)

•Place the balled-up dough in the bowl...

•Coat the top of the dough with shortening also...

•Place plastic wrap on the top of the bowl ...

•Cover your bowl with a few kitchen towels in a draft free place...

•Let Rise till doubled or tripled ~ about 1-1/2 hours??? varies...

•Fully Risen... Ready to punch down in the center...

•With a knife, cut off pieces of dough...

•Using your hands only, roll pieces of dough back & forth to form long rounded strips...

•Each small loaf uses 3 strips - approximately 8" long each...

NOTE:  The bread visually looks better if these rounded strips are smoother looking - no seams showing...

•BRAID the 3 pieces together... TUCK the ends under...

•Braided Mini Loaves... 

•Let Rise on baking parchment paper & a cookie baking sheet...

•Cover with LOOSE Plastic Wrap & a Towel while they rise...

•They'll rise quicker this time around...  Maybe 45 minutes - 1 hour???

•Preheat your oven 375 degrees...

Now that they've risen to "baking size" - Prepare Egg Wash...

•Combine 1 Egg with 1 Tablespoon of water using a fork...

•Gently brush this egg mixture over each loaf - top & sides...

•Sprinkle decorative candy sprinkles on the top of each loaf...

•Ready for the OVEN!*!*!

•Bake for approximately 15 minutes in your pre-heated 375 degree Oven.

*NOTE... Size varies baking time... They will brown quickly because of the egg wash; that does not mean they are done...  I always "thump" them with my fingers when the time suggests they're ready... - Need to sound hollow when they're done... Don't over bake...  

I hope that perhaps you will try these next Easter or someday soon...

EnJoy!*!*!  Just DeLiCiouS...