Easter Braid - cooking recipe

Ingredients

6 to 7 c. flour
5 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. shortening
8 oz. candied fruit
1 c. pitted dates (cut-up)
1 c. black walnuts (cut-up)
Grated peel of 1 orange
2 pkg. active dry yeast
3 Tbsp. sugar (for yeast cups)
6 Tbsp. lukewarm water
Pink, Yellow, and Green food coloring
2 c. lukewarm milk

Preparation

Mix flour, salt, 5 Tbsp. sugar, & shortening together.
Add fruit, dates, nuts, and orange peel.
Divide the fruit ingredients into 3 equal portions in separate bowls.
Divide yeast equally into 3 cups.
Add 1 Tbsp. sugar into each yeast cup. Add 2 Tbsp. lukewarm water to each yeast cup to soften the yeast.
Add a few drops of 1 food coloring to each of the yeast cups.
In each yeast cup, add 1 Tbsp. flour to make a batter.
Divide lukewarm milk into 3 equal parts.
To each 1/3 fruit mixture, add 1 cup of yeast mixture and 1 portion of lukewarm milk.
Knead until well mixed and a soft dough is formed.
Grease bowls and dough.
Let rise in warm place until doubled in size.
Punch down & let rise again. divide each bowl of dough into 3 equal portions.
Roll each portion into ropes;
about 9 inches long.
Then braid (1 piece of each color) forming a loaf.
Place in greased loaf pans, allowing bread to double in size.
Bake in 350\u00b0F. oven for about 25 to 30 minutes.