HOW TO MAKE SWISS ANISE BREAD

A delicious traditional bread that our mothers and grandparents gave to women who had just given birth during the postpartum period. It was a Salvadoran tradition for new mothers to eat chocolate, anise bread, toasted tortillas, hard cheese, and atole de masa (a corn-based drink) for the first 40 days to help with milk production. If she had a boy, she got the hen. *Recipe* 4 cups all-purpose flour (1 pound = 453 grams) 2 eggs 1/2 cup sugar (4 ounces = 113 grams). Remember, sugar weighs differently than flour because it's a solid. Butter, margarine, or vegetable shortening (4 tablespoons = 2 ounces = 56 grams) 1/2 tablespoon instant yeast (1/2 ounce = 14 grams) 1 1/2 cups milk Measuring cups 1 tablespoon anise extract or anise seeds Pinch of salt Procedure: Set aside the fat. Put all the ingredients in a Add fat to the mixer halfway through kneading, knead for 10 minutes, let rest for 5 minutes, shape into a figure, cover with plastic wrap, and bake until doubled in size.