• Heat the butter, milk and water together in a small saucepan until butter has melted. Once melted, remove pan from heat and allow the mixture to cool.
• In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of flour, yeast, salt, sugar and anise. Pour in the cooled milk and slowly mix together until smooth. Add eggs in one at a time, mixing thoroughly.
• Slowly add remaining flour into mixture, ½ cup at a time, stirring after each addition. Continue adding additional flour until the dough is soft.
• On a lightly floured surface, turn the dough out and knead for 8-10 minutes, or until smooth, elastic and slightly tacky.
• Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover loosely with Saran wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, or for about 1 hour.
• After the dough has risen, separate approximately ¼ of the dough to use as the bones over the loaves. Cut separated dough into 4-6 proportional pieces. Shape the larger portion of dough into a round loaf, and place it on a lightly floured cookie sheet. Shape the smaller pieces of dough into bones, rolling them in the center to create two larger sections on each side. Decorate the loaf with the bones.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bake bread for 25-30 minutes. When finished, the bread should sound hollow when tapped.

To make the glaze, heat ¼ cup sugar with orange zest and the juice of one orange. Bring the mixture to a simmer, allowing sugar to completely dissolve. Once sugar is dissolved, remove mixture from heat and set aside.

Brush the finished, warm loaf with the glaze.

Allow the bread to cool and serve