Moroccan Ojos de Haman Purim bread

DIRECTIONS

• If you’re using DRY ACTIVE YEAST, skip to instruction number 4.
• If you’re using INSTANT YEAST, make the dough using a stand mixer with the dough hook. Put flour and yeast in the mixer’s bowl and mix with a fork. Add sugar, then turn mixer on medium-low speed and mix for a minute. Add eggs and milk and continue to mix for about 2 minutes, until well incorporated. Stop the mixer as needed to scrape the flour from the sides using a spatula and continue to mix. With mixer on medium-low, add butter, a tablespoon at a time, then lemon zest and salt. Knead for 8 minutes. Stop the mixer to scrape the sides as needed.
• Skip to instruction number 3.
• If you’re using DRY ACTIVE YEAST you need to proof it first. Put the milk, yeast and a teaspoon of sugar in a glass and stir briefly. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes until it visibly foams.
• To make the dough use a stand mixer with the dough hook. Put flour in the bowl and make a well in the center. To the well add yeast mixture, the rest of the sugar and egg and mix for about 3 minutes on medium-low speed, until well incorporated. Stop the mixer as needed to scrape the flour from the sides using a spatula and continue to mix. Add butter, a tablespoon at a time, then add lemon zest and salt. Turn speed to medium-low and mix for 8 minutes. Stop the mixer to scrape the sides as needed. The dough is very soft, but don’t be tempted to add more flour into in.
• Remove bowl from stand mixer. Using a spatula, transfer dough into a lightly greased large bowl (I use Pam spray,) cover in plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature, preferably in a warm space (near the oven, for example) until dough almost doubles its size, about 1½ hours.
• Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Mix fennel seeds into the dough and knead to spread them out evenly.
• Lightly flour the working surface. To make two breads, divide the dough into two and take a small piece of dough out of each half, to make the strips that go around the eggs. Roll the first half into a large ball and flatten in a little. Make small wells at the top in the number of eggs you want to use, then press the hard boiled egg in so only about half of each egg is shown (the eggs should have the shell on!)
• Use the small piece of dough to make a couple of thin strips of dough for each egg and secure it to the bread in a cross shape. Use a knife to make small 1 inch slits around the edge of the bread. Transfer to a baking sheet, cover with kitchen towel and repeat with the second half of the dough.
• If you’re making individual small rolls, Divide the dough into the number of rolls you’re making and repeat the same instructions as above.
• Let breads stand for 45 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 350 F degrees.
• Mix egg yolk with water and brush all over the breads. Sprinkle with sugar and almonds.
• Bake breads for 30 minutes and rolls for 20-25 minutes, until fully baked and golden. Transfer to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
• Keep breads in paper bags or cloth at room temperature up to 2 days.