Italian Easter/ Christmas Dove Bread

Total Time: 5 hrs Preparation Time: 2 hrs Cook Time: 3 hrs

Ingredients

• Servings: 12
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/4 cup butter or 1/4 cup margarine, cut up
• 1/4 cup water (70⺠to 80âºf)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/4 cups bread flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon, rind of
• 2 teaspoons bread machine yeast
• 1/2 cup almond paste
• 1/4 cup bread flour
• 1 large egg, divided use
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 1 whole clove

Recipe

• 1 to make dough: measure 2 eggs, milk, butter, water, salt, 3 1/4 cups flour, sugar, lemon peel and yeast into bread machine pan in the order suggested by manufacturer.
• 2 process on dough/manual cycle.
• 3 to make topping: combine almond paste, 1/4 cup flour and 1 egg yolk (reserve egg ); knead 5 to 6 times or until smooth.
• 4 form into 1/2-inch balls; set aside.
• 5 to shape: when cycle is complete, remove dough to floured surface.
• 6 if necessary, knead in additional flour to make dough easy to handle.
• 7 divide dough in half.
• 8 for wings, roll one half of dough to 10 × 5-inch oval.
• 9 arrange in center of greased large baking sheet, curving ends downward.
• 10 for body, roll remaining half of dough to a triangle, 15 inches high and 6 inches wide (at base); place on center of oval.
• 11 fold over top third of triangle from left to right; shape to form dove head.
• 12 fold over bottom third of triangle from right to left to form tail.
• 13 with sharp knife, slash wings and tail at 1-inch intervals to form feathers.
• 14 lightly beat reserved egg ; brush on dough.
• 15 arrange almond paste balls, 1/2 inch apart, on body, tail and wings.
• 16 press one slivered almond into each ball.
• 17 press clove into head for eye.
• 18 cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 45 to 60 minutes.
• 19 bake at 325ºf for 35 to 40 minutes or until done.
• 20 remove from pan; cool on wire rack.