• Add butter, milk, and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Use a candy thermometer to warm it until it reaches approximately 120 degrees Fahrenheit (very warm but not boiling). It can't be too hot because you'll add egg later and don't want the heated liquid to cook the egg.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup of flour, yeast, salt, anise seed, and sugar. Slowly beat in the warm milk mixture until well mixed. If too warm let cool slightly before adding eggs.
• Add eggs, one at a time, mixing through with a whisk.
• Add 2 tablespoons of orange blossom water.
• Slowly add in another cup of flour, and mix with a spoon or spatula. Continue adding additional flour until the dough is soft. It will be sticky.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board and knead for at least 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic. It will be really sticky. I just kneaded in my hands (no touching the counter top) because it was so sticky.

First Rise "The Starter"

• Form the dough in a large ball. Lightly grease a large bowl and place the dough in it. Flip the dough in the bowl so that the top and bottom of the dough ball are lightly greased. The dough won't be as sticky at this point.
• Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in warm place until doubled in bulk, approximately 1 to 1.5 hours. (An oven works well for this. Turn it on to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for a minute or two, just until it lightly warms the oven. You should still be able to comfortably touch the sides.)
• After the dough has risen in the oven, take it out and punch the dough down. Pinch off a small ball of dough (about the size of a lemon) to make "skull and crossbones." Then divide the original, larger dough into two loaves.
• Decorate the tops of the loaves with shapes you'll make out of the smaller dough ball. Roll out rectangular dough ropes for the "bones" and a flat circle shape for the "skull" and decorate the tops of your bread.

Second Rise

• Place these two loaves on a lightly greased cookie sheet or pizza stone, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let rise again in the oven (do not turn on the oven) or countertop. Let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Take out when dough has risen, and set aside.

Make Orange Glaze

• While the bread is baking, make the orange glaze. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, orange zest and orange juice. Bring to just a boil to completely dissolve the sugar. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Then, combine the sugar and the cinnamon in a small bowl and set aside.

Bake Bread

• Turn on oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake bread for about 25-30 minutes (check often). If tops of bread are getting too brown, cover with parchment paper or foil.
• When the bread is done baking, test it by "thumping" it. If it makes a hollow sound, it is done. (Or, use a digital thermometer. The temperature should be about 200 to 210 degrees if done.)
• Remove from oven when done.
• While bread is still warm, brush the tops of the bread with the orange glaze and sprinkle liberally with the cinnamon-sugar mixture.