Ingredients:

6 cups flour (I used 00 flour)

2/3 cup sugar

1 cup plus 2 TBSPs milk, warmed

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 shot glasses of anisette liquor (or Strega, Limoncello, Rum)

Zest from one lemon (or 1 tsp lemon extract)

1 packet dry yeast

2 tsp salt

Sugar Syrup for brushing

Extra sugar for tops

Directions:

Add a teaspoon of sugar to the warm milk and stir.

Dissolve dry yeast in the milk. Set aside.

Place the eggs and the sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer equipped with the paddle attachment.

Mix until the mixture becomes pale in color.

Add the oil, liquor and lemon zest (or extract) and continue to mix.

Next, add the milk/yeast mixture. Blend.

Add the flour, a little at a time.

Mix on low speed for 5 minutes.

Finally, add salt and mix for an additional 5 minutes.

Dough should have consistency of play-dough and look smooth.

Remove to a lightly floured surface and form into a ball.

Place dough into an oiled bowl.

Cover with film and place in warm area.

Allow dough to rest and rise for about 2 hours.

When ready, remove dough onto a clean surface.

Gently flatten and spread dough out to make it easier to cut.

Slice 13 strips from the dough.

Roll each strip into a long rope (about 20 to 22”).

Fold rope in half and twist together.

Seal ends together well.

Place each ciambella on a parchment lined cookie sheet.

When all ciambelle are done, cover with film and place back in warm area to rest and rise one more hour.

About 15 minutes before ciambelle are ready, turn oven on to 375F.

Remove film from ciambelle and bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes or until golden.

Remove from oven and allow the little breads to cool for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make a sugar syrup by heating 1/2 cup water with 3 tablespoons of sugar.

Stir over low heat until sugar melts.

Place some sugar in a small bowl.

Brush tops of breads with sugar syrup (one at a time) and immediately dip tops in sugar.

Repeat with all the rest.

Place on a tray and serve.

Makes a baker’s dozen, 13 breads.

TIPS:

If you don’t want to wait a long time for the dough to rise, use Rapid Rise yeast. That will cut fermentation time in half.

The traditional recipe calls for Anisette or Sambuca liquor and anise seeds for these breads but my family does not like the taste so I never add them. Feel free to add them if you like the flavor.

You can brush top of unbaked ciambelle with an egg wash (egg and milk mix) if you’d like. That will give the tops more color. I omit that step because my oven is strong and it darkens the egg wash too much.