3 c. Bohemian flour (rye flour)
3 c. white flour
1/4 c. sugar
1 tbsp. salt
2 c. milk
1/4 c. butter
1/3 c. Crisco
1/3 c. molasses
1 tbsp. anise seed
1 tbsp. fennel seed, crushed
2 tsp. grated orange peel
2 pkgs. of dry yeast
1/2 c. water
1 tsp. sugar

Dissolve 2 package dry yeast in 1/2 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar. Set aside. Heat milk to lukewarm and add butter, Crisco, molasses, anise and fennel seeds along with the orange peel until butter and the Crisco are melted. Add 1/4 cup sugar to the heated milk until dissolved. Mix rye and white flours together along with the salt. Add dissolved yeast and milk mixture. Combine all ingredients well.

Turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic. Add more flour to keep dough from sticking, if needed. Place dough into greased bowl and let rise until double in bulk. Cover bowl with a towel or wax paper. Punch dough down and turn out onto lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half. Knead each half a few minutes and shape into a loaf pan. Let rise in warm place until double in bulk.

Cover each loaf pan with a towel or wax paper. (Remember to spray each loaf pan with Pam). Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown and loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove from loaf pans to wire rack. Cool completely. After the loaves are baked, brush tops with Karo syrup that has been diluted with hot water.

Makes 2 loaves.