Portuguese Sweet Bread - Pao Doce

Total Time: 4 hrs 35 mins Preparation Time: 4 hrs Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 1 cup lukewarm milk (scalded, then cooled)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 5 -6 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Recipe

• 1 dissolve yeast in warm water in a large bowl.
• 2 stir in milk, 3/4 cup sugar, 3 eggs, salt, margarine or butter, and 3 cups of flour.
• 3 beat until smooth.
• 4 stir in enough of the remaining flour to make the dough easy to handle.
• 5 knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic - about 5 minutes.
• 6 place in a greased bowl and let rise in a warm place until it is double in size - about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• 7 punch down dough and divide in half.
• 8 shape each half into a round slightly flat loaf.
• 9 place each loaf into a well greased round 9" x 1 1/2" pan.
• 10 cover and let rise until double (a/b an hour).
• 11 heat oven to 350°f.
• 12 beat 1 egg and brush over tops of loaves.
• 13 sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar.
• 14 bake until loaves are golden brown, about 35-45 minutes.