Categories: Breads, Italy 
      Yield: 2 servings 
  
      1 ts Olive oil 
      1 pk Active dry yeast 
    1/2 c  +1ts sugar 
  1 1/3 c  Scalded milk cool to 100F 
  6 1/2 c  Unbleached flour;approximate 
    1/4 c  Dried currents 
    1/3 c  Golden raisins 
    1/3 c  Marsala 
    1/2 c  Unsalted butter 
      3 tb Shortening 
  1 1/2 ts Fennel seeds 
      4    Eggs 
      1 tb Grated lemon rind 
    1/2 ts Salt 
 
----------------------------------EGG WASH---------------------------------- 
      1 tb Whipping cream 
      1    Egg yolk 
    1/2 tb Marsala 
  
  brush olive oil over surface of a large stainless 
  steel bowl. Put yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar in bottom 
  of bowl add 1 cup of scalded milk and stir to disolve 
  the yeast. Set aside for 10 minutes then add 1-1/2 
  cups flour and remaining milk. Knead by hand or with 
  mixer and dough hook till dough is soft and silky, 
  about 7 or 8 minutes. Cover and let rise for 5 hours. 
  While dough rises soak currents and raisins in Marsala 
  for at least 1 hour. In a small sauce pan over low 
  heat, melt butter and add 2 tablespoons shortening. 
  add fennel seed, remove from heat and let stand till 
  cool. add eggs one at a time to the fennel seed 
  mixture and mix after each addition then add lemon 
  rind and remaining sugar. Set aside. when dough has 
  risen 5 hours add fennel seed mixture and mix well. 
  add salt and begin adding remaining flour, 1/2 cup at 
  a time. when dough is firm enough to knead turn out 
  onto a lightly floured board and knead till soft and 
  smooth about 10 to 15 minutes, adding as much 
  additional flour as necessary to keep it from 
  sticking. During final 5 minutes knead in raisins and 
  currents. form dough into 2 loaves. use remaining 
  shortening 2 grease 2 nine inch pans place dough in 
  pans cover and let rise till doubled in bulk. this may 
  take as long as 3 hours. preheat oven to 375 brush egg 
  wash on bread 5 minutes before baking. brush again 
  immediately before baking. Bake until loaves are 
  golden brown and sound hollow when tapped about 35 
  minutes turn out and cool. this is Sicily's answer to 
  the moring danish. recipe from The Coles group's, 
  California Culinary Academy Italian cooking at the 
  academy.