EASTER BREAD FOR A BREAD MACHINE

An automatic bread machine takes most of the guesswork out of baking this lightly sweetened bread. The recipe was submitted by Christine Lauble of Forest Hills. But the recipe dates back two generations, to Italy.

"It comes from my husband, Bert's, grandmother Millie D'Andrea, who lived in Abruzzi," says Mrs. Lauble, who spent about a year "tweaking" the recipe. She makes it for her children's teachers, and "It always gets raves."

• 3/4 cup scalded milk
  
• 1 egg
  
• 2 egg whites
  
• 2 1/2 teaspoon anise extract
  
• 2 tablespoons butter
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
  
• 3 cups bread flour
  
• Heaping 1/3 cup sugar
  
• Yeast (either 3 heaping teaspoons of active dry yeast or 2 heaping teaspoons of bread machine yeast)

Bring milk to boiling point. Cool slightly. Add all wet ingredients, butter and salt. Add bread flour and sugar. Make small dent in dry ingredients and add yeast. Select crust color on bread machine. Select normal loaf, about 3 hours cooking time. You may need to stop the machine 20-30 minutes early based on your specific taste and desired baking results.

-- Christine Lauble

First Published: March 1, 2007, 5:00 a.m.