Wednesday, March 20, 2002

A tribute to the Easter Bunny

Easter is a major holiday with several traditions, both religious and secular, equated with the day. Think of it as a tree with many branches.

Easter marks the holiest of Christian holidays, celebrating the resurrected Christ. Easter derives its name from Eostre, the Anglo-Saxon goddess of spring in pagan times and the likely genesis of the traditions of rabbits and eggs. Still others treat Easter as a celebration of the spring equinox, when the day is in balance with the night and we begin to see more light and less darkness. The universal meaning of Easter is hope, rebirth and rejuvenation.

Due to its complex lineage, Easter has spawned a variety of widely-recognized symbols: the cross, lilies, chicks, Easter eggs, and a bunny that lays eggs.

More than 42 percent of American parents tell their children that there is an Easter Bunny. So says a survey of 1,005 Americans commissioned by the floral giant FTD. The same study found that nearly all Americans polled (about 90 percent) said they would be spending the Easter holiday with family members.

For your Easter buffet, Sugar-N-Spice Bunnies are a sure hit. The bunnies are a soft bread which is sweet from the sugar in the dough and the powdered sugar glaze on top. The bread is surprisingly zesty from ground cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Chopped dates meld perfectly with these flavors for a memorable Easter creation. Sugar-N-Spice Bunnies are also very cute.

Continuing a legacy of Helping Bakers Bake, the baking experts at Fleischmann's Yeast offer a toll-free line for bakers who need assistance or who want recipes. Call 1-800-777-4959 (Mon.-Fri. 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Central), or visit the Web site, www.breadworld.com, which is bursting with baking tips and recipes.

Sugar-N-Spice Bunnies

Makes 10 bunnies.

Ingredients

5-1/2 to 6 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup sugar

2 envelopes Fleischmann's RapidRise Yeast

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup milk

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup butter or margarine

2 large eggs

1 (8-ounce) package chopped dates, optional

Powdered Sugar Glaze (recipe below)

In large bowl, combine 2-1/2 cups flour, sugar, undissolved yeast, spices, and salt. Heat milk, water and butter until very warm (120¡ to 130¡F). Gradually add to flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes at medium speed of electric mixer, scraping bowl occasionally. Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour. Beat 2 minutes at high speed. Stir in enough remaining flour to make soft dough. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes. Cover; let rest 10 minutes.

Set aside about 1/4 cup dates for bunny's eyes. Knead remaining dates into dough, if desired. Divide dough into 10 equal pieces. Roll each to 24-inch rope. Divide each rope into 1 (13-inch), 1 (6-inch), 2 (2-inch), and 1 (1-inch) strips. Coil 13-inch strip to make body; coil 6-inch strip to make head. Attach head to body; pinch to seal. Shape 2 (2-inch) strips into ears and remaining 1-inch strip into tail. Attach to body and head. Place on 2 greased baking sheets. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Bake at 375 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes or until done. Remove from pans; cool on wire racks. Drizzle with Powdered Sugar Glaze. Insert reserved date pieces for eyes.

Powdered Sugar Glaze: Combine 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted; 2 tablespoons milk; and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir until smooth.

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