¼ cup of milk
1/3 cup of sugar
½ t salt
3 T butter
1 envelope dry yeast
1/3 cup warm water
½ cup Traina Baker’s Fruit Medley (or Traina Berry-Cherry-Golden Blend)
½ t anise seed
½ cup toasted almonds, walnuts or any combination
2 eggs, beaten with a fork
31/3 cups flour
1 egg white
Scald milk, then stir in sugar, salt and butter. Allow mixture to cool. Add warm water to yeast in a large bowl. Stir yeast to dissolve. When yeast is fully activated, stir in milk mixture, beaten eggs and half of flour. Mix well.
Transfer sponge to mixer, and with hook attachment add remaining flour ½ cup at a time. Remove from mixer, knead fruit and nuts into dough and continue kneading dough until smooth. Allow dough to rise in an oiled bowl until dough doubles in size. Turn out onto a floured board. Take 2/3 of the dough and roll into a rope shape approximately 8” long. Braid the 2 pieces of dough together.
Let rise in a warm place until dough doubles in size. Brush braid with egg white. Bake at 375˚ for 25 minutes.