Jircitano Easter Raisin Bread - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 quart egg (extra large eggs are approx. 2 oz. each)
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon anise extract
3/4 lb softened butter, very soft to melted but not hot
1 1/2 ounces active dry yeast (standard packets are 1/4 oz)
2 1/2 cups lukewarm water
5 lbs flour
2 1/2 cups instant potato flakes
2 ounces anise seed
2 lbs raisins

Preparation

Combine first 8 ingredients in a bowl.
Combine next 3 ingredients in a separate bowl.
Put them together, knead the bugger out of it (about 20 minutes).
Let it rest, and go rest yerself. Let it double in a warm place.
Add the raisins. Knead a little, mixing in the raisins, then shape into loaves. (The full recipe makes 8 large or 16 small braided loaves).
Let the loaves rise, covered, until doubled.
Bake at 325F for 30 minutes.