SUNDAY MORNINGS at MY HOUSE--New Year's pretzel bread

My mother made this sweet yeast bread often, always twisted into a circle for the last rise.  I usually ate the bread along with a cup of hot chocolate, often dipping it to melt the icing.  Knowing how much I liked this bread, or pretzel as we called it, my mother would bake several to bring along whenever she came to visit, and on occasion, would even mail one to me. 

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   I have never baked this bread before today.  It's been over eleven  years since I've last eaten one but it's been on my mind a lot lately.  I pulled out of my files this old Amana recipe for New Year's Pretzel Bread.  I don't know if it's the exact recipe my mother used, but if it isn't, it comes very close.

                            NEW YEARS'S PRETZEL BREAD

• 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (105˚ to 115˚)
• 3 3/4 to 4 1/4 cups unbleached flour
•1/3 cup sugar
• 1/8 cup vegetable shortening (non-hydrogenated!)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup currants
• Powdered sugar icing

1.  In a small bowl, soften the yeast in 1/8 cup of the warm water.
2.  With a dough hook, in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, beat together 1 1/2 cups of the flour, the sugar, shortening, salt and the remaining water.  Beat in the egg and softened yeast, scraping the sides of the bowl to incorporate all of the ingredients.
3.  Add the currants and as much of the remaining flour as needed to form a moderately stiff dough, beating for 8 to 10 minutes.  Place dough in a large greased bowl; cover and let rise in a warm place for 2 hours or until double in size.
4.  Punch dough down and turn out onto a floured surface.  Divide dough in half; cover and let rest for 10 minutes.
5.  Shape each portion of dough into a 2-foot-long rope.  Fold and twist dough into a pretzel shape.  Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; cover and let rise for about 45 minutes or until doubled (or, before the last rise, the dough can be placed in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap.  Removed from the refrigerator about an hour before you plan to bake the pretzels and let rise in a warm spot). 
6.  Bake the pretzels in a preheated 350˚F oven for about 20 minutes or until golden.  Place the breads on a wire rack to cool.
7.  Prepare the icing by mixing approximately 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract and enough milk to make a good spreading consistency.
                                       YIELD:  2 pretzels