Moms Portuguese Sweet Bread Recipes

PORTUGUESE SWEET BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve 3 yeast cakes in 1/2 cup warm water, (not hot). Add 2 cups warm, nonfat milk (or scalded whole milk slightly cooled) and 3 cups flour, and 1 teaspoon salt. Whisk together and set aside to proof yeast.
• In a separate bowl, add 1dozen fresh eggs, sugar, and lemon juice. Beat well and then add melted butter.
• Add yeast mixture, the remaining flour and 2 tablespoons of salt. Mix well and let rest for 10 to 20 minutes.
• Continue mixing until dough begins to pull away from bowl or knead with greased hands until dough pulls away from your hands. This takes a while and the dough is sticky unlike bread dough. Place in greased bowl and cover to let rise to double, about 1 to 3 hours.
• Punch down, turn over, and let rise to double a second time.
• Carefully break away about 2/3 pound of dough at a time, rolling dough into a nice loaf shape and place into greased loaf pans. This should make about 5 to 7 nice loafs. Let rise until double in the pans for a third rising.
• Make two to three 1/4-inch slits on the top of each loaf and then brush tops with 1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon of water.
• Bake at 325 degrees F for about 10 minutes and then reduce heat to about 300 degrees F for another 25 to 30 minutes.
• Remove loaves from the oven and lay them on their side on a rack for a couple of minutes before removing from the pan.

GRANDMA CARDOZA'S PORTUGUESE SWEET BREAD

Steps:

• Dissolve 1 package of yeast and 2 tbsp. sugar in 1/2 cup warm water. Let stand until frothy and bubbly (about 5-15 minutes).
• In a small saucepan, combine milk and butter and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool a bit.
• Combine flour and salt. My grandma's recipe calls for sifting the flour, so I sift as grandma suggests.
• In a mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar together until mixed well. Next add the milk and butter mixture, the lemon extract, the anise extract, and the yeast mixture to the eggs and sugar.
• Gradually add the 6 cups of flour to the mix.
• Knead the bread until very smooth, which takes about 15 to 20 minutes.
• Cover the dough, place in a warm area, and let rise until the dough doubles in size. This takes approximately 2 hours.
• Punch dough down, divide, and form into rolls, large round loaves, or braided loaves.
• Place the dough on a buttered cookie sheet (I use parchment paper) or in a pie pan, cover, and let rise again for roughly an hour.
• If you are making Folar da Pascoa, make sure the eggs are boiled and tuck them in the loaves before baking.
• Bake at 350 F for 25-30 minutes. When the bread starts to brown, I brush the top with milk, and this helps give a shiny, golden top to the bread. As soon as the bread is ready, I butter the top.
• Enjoy right from the oven, if you choose!

PORTUGUESE SWEET BREAD I

Steps:

• Add ingredients in order suggested by your manufacturer.
• Select "sweet bread" setting.