Avanti's Sweet Bread

Submitted by Marie Nixon

"This tastes like the bread from Avanti's Italian restaurant in Bloomington Illinois."

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 7
• Serves: 4

ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup warm water
• 1⁄4 ounce active dry yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup granulated sugar (scant)
• 3 cups bread flour
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

directions

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water. Let sit, undisturbed for about 10 minutes. You should see little bubbles appear. This tells you that the yeast is active.
2. In a large bowl, mix oil, eggs, salt, sugar and water and yeast mixture together till blended.
3. Add flour one cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. Knead till smooth and elastic.
5. Let rise till doubled, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
6. repeat the kneading and rising.
7. Punch down.
8. Cut dough into 2 pieces.
9. Let rise, covered for 10 minutes.
10. Shape into 2 oblong loaves, about 14 inches long.
11. Place on greased cookie sheets.
12. Cover: let rise again, about 50-60 minutes.
13. Cut slash down middle of bread or 3 slashes diagonally on top.
14. Bake at 350 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Reviews

[McRobin]

This recipe is excellent. One small suggestion is to cut into the flour about a Tbl of butter flavored Crisco. Otherwise the bread can be very dry. Once we did this it has been very moist and delicious everytime.

 

[Jodi C.]

I grew up eating Avanti's in Peoria, IL, the town of my parents and grandparents birth. I made this recipe for the first time this Thanksgiving and both my mom and I agree that it tasted exactly as we remember. It was an edible, joyous reminder of home now that we live halfway across the country.

 

[iris5555]

This is a favorite in our family. Love the slight sweetness.

 

[Chef 148068]

Good gracious, I haven't thought about Avanti's in years! I went to Normal Community HS in the late 70's. We were in there all the time. The best damn subs in the world! I even called them today to see if they would ship overnight to us in CA. They can't ship the sandwiches, but they can ship the bread. Now that I see this recipe I might try to recapture this great flavor myself!

 

[Jim Jeremiah2]

Yes!! This turned out very similar to the Avanti's bread. With a slight dusting of flour afterwards it was very, very similar. Living in Arizona, it's great to have the comforts of home duplicated, so I used bottled floridated water. Arizona water is too harsh for proper yeast growth.