Easter Bread ( Cuzzupa)

My Grandmother used to make these every Easter

Ingredients for dough
_ 8 cups of flour
_ 3 & 3/4 teaspoons Baking powder
_ 7 eggs - large
_ 1 &3/4 cup of sugar
_ 1 & 1/2 cups oil ( olive is best to use)
_ 1 & 3/4 teaspoons lemon extract or lemon zest( grating a fresh lemon & using those grated pieces of lemon rind instead)
Or we also use anise extract instead of Lemon
Its a matter of taste

Ingredients for Decorations
_ 9 eggs dyed ( do not use hard boiled eggs )
_ 1 large egg beaten
_ Rainbow candies

Directions

_ set oven to 400 to preheat
_ use wax paper to line baking sheets
_ mix in a large bowl the flour & set it aside
_ in a large bowl combine eggs, sugar , & lemon
Use a mixer set on medium and blend together
_ now add the flour & baking powder and mix together until all ingredients are blended
_ place dough on a floured surface

To make the braid take a chunk of dough and roll together with your hands ( make sure hands are well floured so that the dough isnt sticky
Roll the piece of dough into a rope approx.
15 inches long
_ then repeat so you will have 3 ropes the same width & length
_ take the three ropes and carefully braid together
_ take braids and make rings they will overlap slightly.Then do the same with the rest and make four more rings
_ place these rings onto the lined baking sheet
_ press dough together where it overlaps then
Place an egg on top of the seam
_ roll out 2 small ropes of dough & and place on top of the egg so that that it forms a cross
_ Brush dough with the beaten egg
_ Sprinkle the braids with the candies then
Bake approx.15 minutes.
Let breads cool and then.... Enjoy!